Zagreb Boasts 20 New Kindergartens in Five Years. We Checked How Many Projects Are Truly 'From Scratch'

Zagreb is making significant strides in expanding its kindergarten infrastructure, with the city administration reporting the completion of 16 new facilities and more in the pipeline. This initiative aims to tackle the persistent shortage of childcare places, a problem exacerbated by the phasing out of the 'parent-educator' measure. The current push for new kindergartens is presented as a direct response to the needs of families across the city.

Political factions, particularly from the Možemo party, are emphasizing the scale of this development, highlighting that 20 new institutions will be operational by autumn. They point to a substantial increase in city funding allocated to these projects, asserting that 83.79% of the investment comes from the municipal budget. This financial commitment is framed as a shift towards prioritizing universal access to early childhood education, contrasting with previous policies that allegedly favored certain families.

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Is that possible? It's possible when funding is turned in favor of all kindergarten users (remember the abolished measure that favored some families).

The total value of these 28 projects, encompassing completed, ongoing, and planned kindergartens, amounts to 124.7 million euros. While the city is contributing the lion's share, funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is also a crucial component. The focus on building new facilities from the ground up, or repurposing existing spaces, underscores a strategic effort to increase capacity and accessibility, addressing a critical social need in the capital.

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Here are a few data points to illustrate the progress Zagreb is making in kindergarten accessibility in all neighborhoods (20 will be realized by autumn), and what is (unfortunately) even more important at this moment, how much of the City's own funds have been invested in this.