From August 1, 2026, the legal entitlement to full-day education and care for children in the first grade will come into effect. In subsequent years, the entitlement will be gradually extended to grades two to four, so that from the 2029/30 school year it will apply to all children in grades one to four.
Full-day education and care creates opportunities for children and relieves the burden on families – the federal government supports states and municipalities in its expansion. “A good all-day school opens up opportunities for children – far beyond the classroom. It gives them time to discover, experiment, and grow. Children can take advantage of additional learning and support programs without the pressure of regular classes. They play, make music, participate in sports, and learn together. Often, their homework is already finished when they get home – so the afternoon belongs to their families again. All-day schooling is also key to greater educational equity and enables children to achieve educational success regardless of their parents' background. Children whose families cannot afford tutoring or expensive extracurricular activities receive support here and diverse opportunities to develop their talents. With the legal entitlement, we are ensuring that these opportunities are gradually open to all children – regardless of their background or place of residence. This is an investment in every single child and in the future of our country. The implementation of the legal entitlement, initially for first-grade children, on August 1, 2026, is therefore a milestone,” said Federal Minister of Education and Family Affairs, Karin Prien.
Currently, 74 percent of primary schools are all-day schools. Around 1.9 million primary school children receive full-day care, either in an all-day school or an after-school care center. This represents a 57 percent utilization rate. The federal government is providing €3.5 billion in financial assistance until 2029 for investments in expanding municipal educational infrastructure. Funding will support, among other things, new construction, conversions, expansions, energy-efficient renovations, and the equipping of all-day facilities. Furthermore, the federal government will permanently contribute to the additional operating costs incurred by the states due to the legal entitlement to all-day care.
Full-Day School Support Act (GaFöG)
The legal entitlement to full-day care for primary school children was established with the Full-Day Care Act (GaFöG). Since its entry into force in October 2021, the federal states have continuously expanded full-day care programs. The goal is a needs-based, high-quality range of services for children and families. The federal government reports annually on the progress of the expansion of full-day education and care programs for primary school children. The third report pursuant to Section 24a of Book VIII of the German Social Code (3rd GaFöG Report) was published in December 2025. The fourth report is expected to be presented in December 2026.
Further information: www.recht-auf-ganztag.de
Source: Legal entitlement to all-day care starts on August 1, 2026 – BMBFSFJ, July 30, 2026
