Honoring long-standing members: KEG celebrates in Unterallgäu!

On January 11, 2025, the Advent celebration of the Catholic Educators Community (KEG) in the Unterallgäu/Memmingen district association took place in Mindelheim. Together with numerous members, honorary chairwoman Ursula Kiefersauer honored long-standing members for their loyalty and commitment.

Among those honored were Eva-Maria Winkler from Mindelheim, who has been a member for 70 years and joined the KEG in 1954, as well as Gisela Maier and Albert Zangl, both of whom have been members for 60 years. Wolfgang Vogt, Anneliese Höring, Karl Rid, Martin Geiger, Johann Manz, Angelika Traut, Maria Schmölz, Christa Negele, Karl Wagner, Rosi Prestel, Monika Rauh and Brigitte Treml were also honored for their long-standing memberships.

Honors and challenges in the field of education

The event included musical performances and Christmas texts by Margaret Sauter and Pastor Albert Leinauer. In addition to the honors, topics relating to the current challenges in the teaching profession were also discussed. The members reported on difficulties such as bureaucracy, a lack of staff, cuts in the arts and the associated pressure to perform.

In this context, the situation in early childhood education is alarming. Current results of the DKLK study 2023, which includes a survey of 5,387 daycare centers in Germany, show that around 10,000 daycare centers operated with a staff shortage for more than half of the time last year. This number has risen sharply compared to previous years, and over 70% of daycare center managers report negative effects of the staff shortage on their legal mandate.

The study also shows that almost 95% of daycare center managers state that the staff shortage has worsened in the last 12 months, resulting in a high workload. Over 80% of employees are dissatisfied with their educational work, and a quarter of daycare center managers report terminations due to a lack of staff.

The DKLK 2023 study, prepared in collaboration with the VBE, calls for numerous measures to improve the situation, including better pay, creating new jobs and improving working conditions.

For more information about the honors and challenges in education, see reports from Mercury and to the DKLK study 2023 Educator.de.