The resolution authorizes “expenses related to the establishment of collaboration agreements with municipalities to expand the availability of pre-school education places for the academic years 2025/2026 to 2027/2028,” stated the announcement released today.
The Council of Ministers noted that the funding, which could reach up to 42.5 million euros, also includes association contracts with private, cooperative, and supportive institutions.
During the summer, the Government launched a tender for 12,475 places across 65 municipalities for the establishment of association contracts.
Private colleges, however, applied for just over 1,200 places, representing less than 10% of the needs identified by the government, based on the comparison between entries in the Enrollment Portal and the forecast of classes to be formed in the public network and Private Institutions of Social Solidarity (IPSS).
The financial contribution per child is set at 208.05 euros, or 15,000 euros regarding the incentive for opening new classrooms.
In April, the executive signed two new ordinances to allow the opening of pre-school vacancies next school year, accommodating an additional five thousand children from age three, prioritizing families in greater need.
At that time, the Association of Private and Cooperative Education Establishments (AEEP) warned that the opening of these places was at risk, arguing that the low funds allocated and the short duration of the agreements made the opening of new classrooms impractical.
