Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The quality of care in the day-care centers and after-school care centers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is not good enough for the opposition, and the burden on the educators is too high. The parliamentary groups of the CDU, Greens and FDP are now jointly calling for smaller group sizes, a nationwide uniform minimum staffing ratio and solid needs planning for new daycare places. They are responding to demands from educational unions and scientists.
According to the three opposition factions, the freedom granted by the state does not solve the problems. The situation in the day care centers and after-school care centers is tense, many educators are at the limit. But instead of relieving them, the free holiday resort will go a step further this summer. Observers assume that there will be even more demand for after-school care during the holidays than before because offers from other providers usually cost something.
In their application for the next state parliament session, the CDU, Greens and FDP do not give specific figures on their ideas for group sizes and care ratios. The most recent survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation on the quality of care in the day-care centers showed that in the kindergarten (3- to 6-year-olds) there were arithmetically 12.9 children for one specialist. Scientists recommend 7.5.
