惠及哪些群体？资金如何保障？——两部门详解逐步推行免费学前教育政策

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government is gradually implementing a policy for free preschool education, which aims to benefit all kindergarten children and ensure the policy's effective execution through financial support and monitoring [1][2][3]. Group 1: Policy Coverage - The policy will exempt public kindergarten children in their final year from care and education fees starting from the fall semester of 2025, impacting approximately 12 million children this year [2]. - The exemption applies to both public and approved private kindergartens, covering urban and rural areas [2]. - The fee exemption standard will be based on the approved fee levels set by local governments for public kindergartens [2]. Group 2: Financial Support - The central and local governments will share the financial burden of the policy, with the central government covering 80%, 60%, and 50% of the costs for western, central, and eastern regions, respectively [5]. - The total increase in government spending for the current semester is estimated to be around 20 billion yuan, which will correspondingly reduce family education expenses by the same amount [5]. Group 3: Implementation and Monitoring - The Ministry of Finance has allocated the necessary funds for the policy and will guide local governments in establishing specific implementation plans [7]. - A monitoring system will be established to prevent misuse of funds, ensuring accountability for any fraudulent activities [6]. - The education department will oversee the implementation process, ensuring that all preparations are completed by the end of August, allowing children to benefit from the policy at the start of the school year [7].