Discussion on Kindergarten's Long-term Plan - Restructuring of Kindergarten Systems Ahead: Upcoming Developments
Declining Child Numbers Affect Kindergarten Staffing in Thuringia
Thuringia is grappling with the impact of declining child numbers in its kindergartens, leading to staff reductions and reduced working hours. With municipalities and providers reviewing facilities or planning to cut weekly hours, concerns have arisen about a potential surplus of specialized staff.
Three kindergarten facilities in Altenburger Land are set to close by the end of July, affecting two municipal and one privately run institutions. The Landratsamt, in response to a query, admitted that some facilities will need to cut staff to avoid layoffs. Kindergarten providers are primarily looking to achieve this through reductions in weekly working hours.
The city of Weimar aims to reduce approximately 500 kindergarten places by cutting facilities due to low birth rates. By July 1, 2026, the Saale-Holzland district expects around 1,000 empty kindergarten places. One facility is scheduled to close on August 1, while the city of Eisenach anticipates a decline in child numbers until at least 2030, requiring a subsequent decrease in staff demand.
Education Minister Christian Tischner acknowledges East Germany's demographic problem, but denies a widespread staff surplus in kindergartens. Despite this, the situation is being closely monitored, and Tischner continues to recommend young people pursue kindergarten teaching, as there is also a generational shift in the sector with specialists retiring.
The decline in child numbers has been evident for years, with the Thuringian state parliament deciding to improve the quality of care by changing the staffing ratio last year. This means that one specialist now has fewer children to look after at a time, helping to offset the declining child numbers and keep specialists. However, some municipalities feel this may not be enough to combat the current situation.
The new staff key is not yet fully implemented, according to the ministry. Specialist staff are still necessary in kindergartens.
The effect of staff reductions and base employment contracts, under which educators can fall back to a base number of working hours when less personnel is needed, is a matter of concern for the state chairwoman of the education union GEW, Kathrin Vitzthum. She fears that if the staffing ratio is not adjusted, teachers may seek employment in western neighboring states, leading to losses of specialized staff in Thuringia's rural areas in the long term.
In summary, Thuringia's declining child numbers are resulting in staff reductions and reduced working hours for kindergarten teachers. Base employment contracts provide some protection but also create financial insecurity for teachers due to reduced hours. This situation could impact the quality of early childhood education and the attractiveness of the profession in Thuringia.
In light of the ongoing declining child numbers in Thuringia, there are concerns about a potential surplus of specialized staff in the kindergarten sector due to staff reductions and reduced working hours. This situation could be addressed through vocational training programs in education-and-self-development, allowing individuals to pursue careers in kindergarten teaching and fill the anticipated staffing gaps. Meanwhile, politics and general news outlets should continue to monitor the impact of these staff changes on the quality of early childhood education and the long-term feasibility of maintaining a sufficient workforce in rural areas of Thuringia.
