Protests in Wittstock: Daycare centers Rainbow” and Villa Sonnenschein” about to close?

Protests in Wittstock: Daycare centers Rainbow” and Villa Sonnenschein” about to close?

The situation is tense in the Wittstock districts of Berlinchen and Fretzdorf. The “Rainbow” and “Villa Sonnenschein” daycare centers are in danger of going out of business here. This caused a huge outcry among local parents. Mayor Raimond Koop admits that the concern among families is clearly noticeable, as they greatly value the small, rural daycare centers. A petition was launched calling for the closure plans to be reversed and for a reassessment of small facilities in the interests of the child's welfare. The maz-online.de reports that numerous protest letters were also sent to Mayor Philipp Wacker were.

The situation is not getting any easier, as the Schweinrich local council expresses sharp criticism of the plans to further worsen educational opportunities for families in rural areas. There are fears that the closures would increase rural exodus. Here too, creative solutions are required to maintain the daycare centers, as the local mayors are urgently demanding.

The backgrounds

Various factors play a role in the possible closure of daycare centers. The recommendations of Complan's Integrated School and Daycare Development Plan lead to the consideration of closing the facilities due to a predicted decline in population. According to forecasts, Wittstock's population will fall from over 14,000 to around 12,000 to 13,000 by 2035, which will result in a lower need for daycare places. There are currently around 200 daycare places unused in Wittstock and the operating costs are estimated to be high.

The daycare centers in Berlinchen with 38 places and in Fretzdorf with 30 places are smaller facilities. Its closure would result in savings of around 250,000 euros in operating costs and the avoidance of investments amounting to three million euros in Berlinchen. However, there is also criticism of the development plan: several voices criticize the lack of evidence for the investment costs and question whether it would not also be necessary to close daycare centers in the city center.

Political reactions and outlook

A worrying detail: The topic has not yet been discussed in the education committee, although local mayors wanted to bring it up. It is also shocking that the city administration has not yet made a definitive statement about the closure of the daycare centers. Complan's recommendation is currently only viewed as a working basis. The future of the daycare centers therefore remains uncertain and the parents' worries grow with each passing day.

In the midst of these discussions, it would be important that those responsible listen to the concerns of families and do not carelessly ignore the possibilities for maintaining these small facilities. There is clearly something going on that affects both the children affected and the involved parents.