Decline in the number of public kindergartens in Romania over the last three decades

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics on the category "kindergartens," to which are added preschool units that are attached to other educational units such as general/secondary schools, in 2023, in Romania, there were a total of 10,485 preschool educational institutions (with or without the legal status of "kindergartens"), compared to 12,529 kindergartens in 1990, i.e., a 16% reduction.

Of the 10,438 preschool institutions in Romania in 2023, 9,859 were public, i.e., 94%. However, at the urban level, there has been a noticeable increase in private kindergartens. For example, also in 2023, there were a total of 558 preschool institutions (with or without the legal status of "kindergartens") in the Bucharest-Ilfov region, of which only 55% were public (309) and the remaining 45% (249) were private, compared to 349 kindergartens, all public, in 1990.

In 2023, 60% of all children between the ages of 3 and 6 are enrolled in preschool education. This percentage has increased since 1990, when it was 54%. The number of preschool teachers has remained almost constant since 1990 (around 37,000).

Numerous studies show the crucial importance of early education: beyond the social, cognitive, and emotional skills acquired during preschool education, children who have attended preschool show higher levels of educational success, employment, and social skills throughout their lives.

In Romania, there is an urgent need for a public policy dedicated to preschool education in order to increase the number of kindergartens according to the number of children in each region. Although the number of preschool teachers has remained almost constant since 1990 (around 37,000), the decline in the number of preschool institutions has led to their overwork. The consequences for families are higher costs (e.g., enrollment in private kindergartens) and the inability of parents, mainly mothers, to return to work. To consider the needs of parents and children, these public policies must be designed in partnership with parent associations and experts in the field.

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Data processing and text design: Maria-Luiza Apostolescu

Infographic: Pascalone Media SRL