City of Zagreb Announces Kindergarten Vacancies: Situation Better Than Expected

Zagreb has announced a total of 1,250 available places in its kindergartens, a figure described as better than expected by city officials. This number encompasses openings in both municipal and private facilities, as well as positions with registered childminders.

Specifically, municipal kindergartens have 234 nursery spots and 577 kindergarten spots available. Private kindergartens offer 208 nursery spots and 165 kindergarten spots. Additionally, 66 places are open with childminding businesses. Enrollment in city kindergartens is a year-round process, with parents able to apply at any time. If a spot is available and the child meets the enrollment criteria, admission is granted.

The city is actively expanding its kindergarten infrastructure. Out of 28 planned kindergarten projects, 17 are completed, and the rest are in various stages of preparation and construction. Three new kindergartens, Borovje, Stenjevec, and Remetinec, are scheduled to open by the end of this year.

This situation marks an improvement from previous years when a record number of children were left without spots, largely due to the abolition of the parent-educator measure. At that time, over 3,000 children could not be enrolled due to insufficient capacity. The city has also launched a new website where the number of available spots can be tracked and will be updated monthly. The online application process is fully digitized and integrated with national registries to streamline data collection and submission.