逐步推行免费学前教育——我国学前教育发展史上的里程碑

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government is implementing a policy to gradually promote free preschool education, which aims to alleviate the financial burden on families and improve the quality of early childhood education [1][8]. Group 1: Policy Implementation - Starting from the autumn semester of 2025, public kindergartens will waive the care and education fees for children in their final year, while private kindergartens will follow a similar fee waiver based on local public kindergarten standards [2][3]. - The policy is expected to benefit approximately 12 million children this autumn semester [2]. - The fee waiver will be based on the approved fee standards set by local governments, excluding meal, accommodation, and miscellaneous fees [2][3]. Group 2: Financial Support - The implementation of free preschool education will result in an estimated increase in national fiscal expenditure of about 20 billion yuan for one semester, which will correspondingly reduce family expenditures by the same amount [4]. - The central and local governments will jointly bear the financial burden of compensating kindergartens for lost income due to the fee waivers, with the central government covering 80%, 60%, and 50% of the costs for western, central, and eastern regions, respectively [4][6]. - Since 2013, national fiscal funding for preschool education has increased from 86.2 billion yuan to 315 billion yuan in 2023, reflecting an annual growth rate of 13.8% [5]. Group 3: Quality Assurance - The Ministry of Education will ensure the quality of preschool education by establishing a coordination mechanism, regulating kindergarten operations, and enhancing supervision and evaluation [7]. - The policy encourages local governments to continue supporting economically disadvantaged groups, orphans, and children with disabilities, ensuring that the benefits of the policy reach those in need [7][8]. - The government aims to improve the overall quality of preschool education, transitioning from merely providing care to offering high-quality education [7]. Group 4: Future Considerations - The policy is seen as a milestone in the development of preschool education in China, aiming to enhance public education services and promote educational equity [8]. - The government plans to continuously assess and refine the free preschool education policy based on demographic changes and financial conditions to benefit more children [8].