The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) has signed two new ordinances today to allow the expansion of available places for children over the age of three in the upcoming school year, with priority given to families facing financial difficulties.
Last month, the government allocated 42.5 million euros to finance the creation of an additional five thousand places in private, cooperative educational establishments, and social solidarity institutions.
If these educational institutions express interest in exceeding the five thousand places and the need for additional places is verified in identified areas, additional contracts for places may be established, according to the ministry.
A government-commissioned diagnosis revealed that more than 10,000 children do not have access to preschool places. Therefore, this new initiative aims to develop 200 new classrooms as well as refurbish existing ones to accommodate more students.
Priority will be given to disadvantaged families, with the aim of bolstering educational offerings in the most underprivileged municipalities, primarily located in the Lisbon area.
“Among the ten municipalities with the greatest deficiency in preschool offerings for children from socioeconomically vulnerable backgrounds, nine are part of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, including Sintra, Seixal, Amadora, Odivelas, Lisbon, and Barreiro,” stated a communication from MECI released today.
The plan is to open new classrooms with a minimum of 20 children and a maximum of 25, or alternatively, to adapt existing spaces to accommodate more children.
The government will provide 208.05 euros per month per child and offer an incentive of 15,000 euros for each new classroom opened, available only in the year the new classroom is established.
The tender for the creation of new places is expected to be announced shortly and concluded within three months. MECI clarified that these new spots are intended for students who did not secure placement in the public network.
“Public preschool placements are announced on July 1, thus enrollment in places under the ordinances can only occur in the following weeks,” MECI remarked.
