The start of the school year is always a special time, but in recent years, it has also been accompanied by growing frustration. The childcare situation has not improved as promised. At a press conference, Green Party MPs highlighted outdated regulations, staff shortages, and inadequate services. Students are suffering from a dire shortage of affordable housing. To improve the situation, the Green Party parliamentary group is submitting two motions to parliament: one for better childcare, the other for new, affordable student residences.
Childcare
Staff shortages, complicated access rules, gaps and inequalities in summer programs, problems with the cafeteria, opening hours, and waiting lists – all of this is increasingly burdening many parents. The Council of the European Union’s recommendation on early childhood education and care, the so-called “Barcelona Targets 2030,” stipulates that at least 45 percent of children under the age of three have access to childcare facilities. In South Tyrol, the rate is currently only 25 percent.
“Over 70 percent of children are cared for at home or elsewhere, often with a great deal of improvisation and superhuman organizational effort. This is neither in the interest of the children nor in the interest of the educational staff in the facilities. Families need security and continuity, not a mosaic of makeshift solutions,” says Brigitte Foppa, first signatory of the Green Party’s resolution, which will be discussed at the next state parliament session.
Verdi – Grüne – Vërc
The Greens are calling for a comprehensive plan for the zero-to-six age group: accessible, continuous, affordable services and appropriate – including financial – staff training. In addition, access regulations for daycare centers must be reformed (there are currently many disadvantages!), conditions in daycare centers must be improved with regard to space and staff-to-child ratios, and flexible afternoon and summer childcare options must be created. “Reliable educational opportunities mean fairer opportunities for children and more peace of mind for parents,” emphasize state parliament members Brigitte Foppa, Madeleine Rohrer, and Zeno Oberkofler.
Housing for Students and Researchers
The housing shortage for students is also undisputed. Currently, students pay between €450 and €700 per month for a room – a considerable burden for many families. Since 2011, the state has not built any new student residences, leaving students dependent on the free market.
“The right to study must not depend on market mechanisms. Therefore, we demand that the state, in cooperation with non-profit developers, invest in new public student residences – with rooms at truly affordable prices,” explains Zeno Oberkofler, the first signatory of the corresponding resolution. “If we want to be attractive to young students, we must also guarantee them a place to live and stay.”
“Our demands aim for a fairer society. Planning and affordability are fundamental prerequisites for this,” said Foppa, Oberkofler, and Rohrer.
