Childcare - Tens of thousands of new places for open all-day elementary school
The North Rhine-Westphalia state government is setting more switches for the future legal claim to a full-day place in the primary school sector (OGS). An additional 50,000 OGS places will be established next year. For this, the state is providing over 884 million Euro, according to the Education and Family ministries. By the school year 2025/26, over 480,000 OGS places could be financed – an increase of 56 percent since 2017.
"We reliably secure the Landesausschüssen for the further expansion of OGS places for the next years", said Education Minister Dorothee Feller (CDU). Medium-term, there are plans for an increase of 50,000 OGS places each in the years 2026 and 2027.
Over 600,000 OGS places by 2028
In 2028, there will still be funds provided for an additional 25,000 OGS places, so that a total of 605,000 places in the open full-day care could be financed. According to forecasts, around 80 percent of primary school children will need a full-day place from the school year 2029/30 onwards. According to calculations by the Education Ministry, this would be approximately 590,000 places.
From 2026, under federal law, a legal claim to a place in open full-day care will gradually apply in primary schools, starting with the first grade and growing to the fourth grade in the school year 2029/30.
Criticism of the absence of an OGS law
A law for the legal securing of the OGS expansion with binding standards, as promised in the black-green coalition agreement, is still not in place. Instead, the expansion is being secured through a decree. This decree, according to ministry announcements, will come into force on August 1, 2026, and will regulate the framework for full-day and care offers in primary schools. Education associations reacted disappointed.
"Without binding specifications, the quality of full-day care depends on the location and thus on luck", criticized the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE). The quality will not be neglected, promised Family Minister Josefine Paul (Greens).
Lack of specialized personnel
Minister Feller justified the absence of a law in part by the fact that it had often been expressed that, in times of personnel shortages, high standards should not be set. "We cannot promise parents what we cannot deliver." The state government wants to remain flexible in its response. It understands the disappointment, but the times are challenging due to the shortage in social and educational professions.
- The expansion of OGS places in North Rhine-Westphalia's elementary schools is being driven forward by the state government, aiming to provide a legal claim to a full-day place for over 480,000 students by the 2025/26 school year.
- The state government has announced plans to establish additional 50,000 OGS places each in the years 2026 and 2027, aiming to provide over 600,000 full-day care places by 2028.
- The CDU, represented by Education Minister Dorothee Feller, is working closely with the State Government and the Family Ministry to secure funding for these expansions, allocating over 884 million Euro.
- Criticism has arisen from education associations, such as the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE), who argue that the expansion lacks a legal basis and the quality of full-day care depends on location and access to specialized personnel.
- The State Government, however, acknowledges the challenges posed by the shortage of social and educational professionals, and emphasizes its commitment to delivering high-quality full-day care while maintaining flexibility in its response.
