Preparingfunds with tax income could safeguard Kitas and ensure their continuous operation.
In the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), concerns about social infrastructure have led to a massive protest last week, as 22,000 citizens voiced their discontent against the black-green state government. The focus of their concerns lies in the strained social infrastructure, particularly daycare centers and schools, due to financial difficulties faced by welfare associations.
One of the key voices advocating for immediate action is Stefan Zimkeit, a member of the state parliament for Oberhausen-Sterkrade and Dinslaken. Zimkeit recalls that, last year, approximately two billion euros flowed unused back into the state budget. He is urging the NRW Finance Ministry to immediately set up a supplementary budget, with the intention of investing the expected additional tax revenues, around 500 million euros, in daycare centers, open all-day primary schools, and school social work.
The welfare associations in Oberhausen and Dinslaken, including the AWO in Oberhausen, are currently struggling to finance daycare centers and all-day offers. The Protestant Children's World in Dinslaken has also highlighted the critical situation. If no action is taken, children may lose important educational opportunities, and parents may face unreliable childcare.
The NRW Finance Ministry has not yet set up a supplementary budget for the emergency package, as urged by Zimkeit. The lack of direct information in the search results regarding the current status of such proposals would require consultation of NRW parliamentary records, recent SPD communications, or regional news reports focusing on NRW education budgeting and SPD finance policymaking.
It is important to note that NRW law prohibits discrimination on the basis of economic status or origin in schools, but it does not detail funding allocation specifics. Several education and social initiatives exist on a federal and state level in Germany, but these do not specifically address daycare, all-day schooling, or social work investments tied to tax surplus allocations.
As of early August 2025, there is no publicly available specific update on the investment of the tax surplus funds specifically in daycare centers, all-day primary schools, and school social work in North Rhine-Westphalia. The search results include general information about education, funding, and initiatives in NRW and Germany, but do not mention this particular tax surplus investment proposal or Zimkeit’s position on it.
In conclusion, Stefan Zimkeit, the SPD finance expert and state parliamentarian, is advocating for the tax surplus to be invested in daycare centers, open all-day primary schools, and school social work. However, the current status of such proposals remains unclear and would require further investigation.
- Stefan Zimkeit, appealing for immediate action, urges the NRW Finance Ministry to allocate the estimated 500 million euros from additional tax revenues towards daycare centers, open all-day primary schools, and school social work, as a means to address the financial struggles faced by welfare associations in education-and-self-development services.
- The strained finances of welfare associations in education-and-self-development, particularly in Oberhausen and Dinslaken, have led to concerns about children losing crucial educational opportunities and parents facing unreliable childcare, spurring protests against the NRW government and calls for urgent finance-oriented business solutions.
