Böhlitz-Ehrenberg: Shock message! Auzenzwerge daycare center is closed!

Böhlitz-Ehrenberg: Shock message! Auzenzwerge daycare center is closed!

Böhlitz-Ehrenberg, Deutschland - In Leipzig, the announced closure of the daycare center "Auzenzwerge" ensures excitement and lack of understanding. Sebastian Ludwig initiated a petition against this decision after the city of Leipzig terminated the rental agreement of the facility at the end of the year. The reason for this radical measure lies in the sunken birth rate, which leads to the daycare places no longer needed sufficiently. This was reported by the Leipziger Internet Zeitung .

The short -term announcement was particularly surprising for the parents, since many of them had just completed their children's familiarization. Mayor Denis Achtner clearly expressed his lack of understanding about the decision of the administration and also criticized the poor structural condition of the daycare center. Even if the parents are emotionally affected, the petition committee has rejected the petition to close the "Auzenzwerge" based on the returning children's numbers and the unsatisfactory condition of the building. Of the city councils, 33 voted for the rejection, 13 against it and 14 contained.

The background of the closure

The closure is part of a larger trend in Saxony, where the need for daycare places in large cities has decreased significantly. According to MDR this not only leads to lighter award procedures, but also to the closure of numerous daycare centers, such as in Dresden, where six and until 2029 five kindergartens close should. The drastic decline in the birth rate from 1.6 to 1.24 children per woman is one of the main causes for it.

in Leipzig, almost 5,000 children were born last year, which corresponds to about 1,000 fewer than in 2022. This trend will continue by 2027 and could change the daycare landscape sustainably. The city now has the opportunity to use this time to renovate daycare centers and to keep some as a reserve. The care key in Saxony is one of the most unfavorable in Germany because an average of over 17 children are looked after by an educator.

quality vs. quantity

The ver.di union reports about the impending job cuts for educators. On the other hand, experts see an opportunity to improve the quality of early childhood education. Numerous daycare centers in Leipzig, around 65 percent, are in a partial and un renovated state. An improvement could be achieved by closing poor facilities and investing in high -quality daycare centers. The Saxon Minister of Culture Christian Piwarz emphasizes the need to significantly increase the quality in the facilities and speaks of a "demographic return" that offers opportunities for improvement.

While the closure of the "Auzenzwerge" has now been decided, an official closure concept for the daycare centers is to be developed in August. The youth department plans to present this concept to the youth welfare committee as well as the district councils and local councils. In this context, the city of Leipzig could play a crucial role in shaping the future of early childhood care in view of the changing demographic framework.