A Slow Start for the Startchancen Program for Focus Schools
According to a written question from Thomas Jarzombek, the education and research policy speaker of the Union’s faction, and the response from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Startchancen program for modernizing education facilities is off to a slow start. As of December 31, 2024, the federal government had only allocated around €840,000 for the modernization of educational institutions. The program, which began in August 2024, is intended to provide a ten-year funding period for the modernization of infrastructure in schools.
The federal government has allocated €400 million annually to the states for investments in modern infrastructure, which is equivalent to €200 million for the first half of the year. Jarzombek, a CDU politician, criticized the slow start, saying, “You can only rub your eyes in amazement. The education million promised by Christian Lindner has turned out to be just hot air.” He added that the program has been marketed as a solution to all education problems, but the reality is that the marketing is much larger than the actual action.
The CDU politician stated that it is bitter for students that the funds are not being used as intended, and that it is a program of missed chances. He also criticized the slow start, saying that it is a shame that the money is now being used for everything else.
The Federal Ministry of Education explained the slow start in a response, saying that the amount and speed of the funding disbursement will increase over time, based on the experience with other investment programs. The ministry attributed the slow start to the planning and preparation required for the investments.
The ministry did not provide information on what will happen to the unspent funds, stating that the amount of unspent budget and the decisions on budget management will be part of the 2024 budget report. The ministry also did not provide concrete information on the matter at this time.
The Startchancen program is intended to provide €20 billion in funding over ten years for around 4,000 focus schools, with the federal government and the states each providing €1 billion annually. The idea behind the program is to make the success of children in schools less dependent on their parents’ income and education in the future.