The announcement of two projects concerning tuition subsidies for children attending kindergartens and nurseries was approved today by the Council of Ministers, as announced after its meeting by Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Marilena Evangelou. Ms. Evangelou stated that the total budget of the two projects amounts to 22 million euros and a total of 25.000 children benefit from their implementation.
The Deputy Minister explained that the first plan concerns the tuition subsidy and feeding of children up to four years old for the 2025-2026 school year and is a continuation of an existing plan, which subsidizes up to 80% of the cost of kindergarten and nursery school tuition. She recalled that beneficiaries, by decision of the Government from 2023, are all families receiving child benefit.
He added that the Cabinet also approved the announcement of a tuition subsidy plan for children from four years old to the age of free compulsory preschool education, that is, up to four years and five months, for the 2025-2026 school year.
"The extension of the age of children for subsidy purposes was first implemented in 2024 with the same criteria that applied to the tuition and feeding subsidy plan for children up to four years old," the Deputy Minister noted.
"With the plan approved today, all families, regardless of criteria, with children aged four years to four years and five months, are eligible," he added, stating that more details will be announced by the Deputy Ministry.
“The projects contribute significantly to enhancing access of preschool children to quality education and care services, as well as to the reconciliation of family and professional life,” said Ms. Evangelou. She added that “one of the flagship actions of the Deputy Ministry for 2025 is the expansion of the beneficiaries of the child allowance, to cover the entire middle class.”
He finally stated that "this expansion means that more beneficiaries, young families with preschool-age children, can simultaneously join the tuition and child feeding plan."
Source: KYPE
