More money promised to kindergartens

About €9.5 million from the state budget is set aside for increasing the capacity of publicly owned nursery schools by 250 new classes, according to Education Minister Juraj Draxler. Local authorities will be able to apply for the funds until 25 February. The demand will be big. For example it was impossible to find nursery school places in September for around 200 children in local authority-owned facilities in the Bratislava borough of Ružinov. It is thought that as many as half of all unsuccessful applications for nursery school places are submitted in Bratislava region, which is unable to draw European funds for such purposes due to the above average living standards. The Minister pointed out that there are no plans to increase the maximum number of children in each nursery school class in response to appeals from certain local authorities.