惠及1200万儿童，中央财政资金已到位

Group 1: Policy Overview - The State Council has issued an opinion to gradually implement free preschool education, starting from the autumn semester of 2025, which will exempt public kindergartens from charging care education fees for children in their last year before primary school [2][5] - This initiative is seen as a milestone in the development of preschool education in China, aimed at addressing public needs, improving living standards, and promoting balanced population development [2][3] Group 2: Financial Implications - The policy is expected to benefit approximately 12 million children, with an estimated increase in national fiscal expenditure of about 20 billion yuan for the upcoming autumn semester, which will correspondingly reduce family education expenses by the same amount [5][6] - The funding for the policy will be shared between central and local governments, with the central government covering 80%, 60%, and 50% of the costs in western, central, and eastern regions respectively [5][6] Group 3: Educational Impact - The gross enrollment rate for preschool education in China is projected to reach 92% by 2024, aligning with the average level of high-income countries [4] - The implementation of the Preschool Education Law marks a new phase in ensuring equitable access to education for children, providing strong legal support for their rights [4][6] Group 4: Future Considerations - There are plans to consider extending the free education policy to the entire preschool period and potentially to high school in the future, depending on economic and social development [6][8] - The government aims to create a comprehensive support system for families, which includes financial, service, and cultural support to alleviate the economic burden of raising children [11][12] Group 5: Systematic Approach - The establishment of a multi-dimensional support system for childbirth and child-rearing is emphasized, which includes economic support, service support, and cultural support [12][13] - A recommendation has been made to create a "national childbirth support special fund" to address funding gaps, particularly in rural and central-western regions [13]