North Rhine-Westphalia launches ABC language classes and expands Kita funding

The state parliament of North Rhine‑Westphalia approved two major education measures. The first creates mandatory “ABC‑Klassen”, pre‑school language courses for children with insufficient German skills. Starting in the 2028/29 school year, about 50,000 children will attend two‑hour sessions twice a week, with 1,650 additional teaching positions funded at an estimated €108 million per year. The law also moves school registration to spring and will test all children’s language competence in 2028. Opposition parties and education unions protested, arguing the classes remove children from familiar kindergarten settings and risk stigmatization.

The second measure reforms the state’s kindergarten system. A revised Kinderbildungsgesetz, set to take effect in summer 2027, introduces core‑time staffing of at least 35 hours per week, flexible booking of care in five‑hour blocks, and caps group sizes to limit over‑enrollment. The state will provide an additional €200 million annually for kindergartens, including €50 million earmarked for language support and €37 million for a helper programme to relieve staff. Critics from the GEW union and opposition parties claim the reforms do not guarantee reliable care and may downgrade the role of qualified staff.