Overview
- Four education associations in Lower Saxony issued a joint statement calling the new Ganztag decree unrealistic and warning it shifts schools toward childcare tasks without the needed resources or consultation.
- From August 2026, a federal legal entitlement to full‑day primary care begins for first graders and expands annually to cover all grades by summer 2029.
- Hannover reports 48 of 62 primary schools already run full‑day programs, estimates roughly 12,000 children participate, and plans to double its Ganztags‑Brücken places from 475 to 975 with €3.6 million yearly plus a €267,000 meal subsidy.
- The city proposes a €6.50 monthly parental contribution for material costs and an early/late‑care staffing adjustment to realize savings, with both measures pending council approval; school lunches remain paid, with exemptions for low‑income families.
- Outside major cities, officials describe uneven readiness and significant investment needs, while Rotenburg is weighing a full rollout for all grades in 2026 despite financing uncertainties and has aligned on cost‑sharing with the county.