To kindergarten at 3 months: The Ministry of Education offers an unexpected solution for young mothers
2 April 06:22
The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is considering new approaches to preschool education, including the possibility of introducing the possibility for children as young as 3 months to attend kindergartens. This step is aimed at making preschool education more accessible to young mothers and reducing demographic problems in Ukraine. Deputy Minister for Preschool Education Anastasia Konovalova told this in an interview with Osvitoria, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
New vision of preschool education
The Ministry of Education is radically revising its approach to preschool education.
“Previously, preschool education in Ukraine focused on children aged 3-6, and we prioritized them, but now, in order not to close kindergartens, we will offer places for younger children (from three months),” Konovalova said.
We are talking about creating nurseries that will allow mothers to return to work faster after the birth of a child.
But not all kindergartens are ready for such reformatting.
According to representatives of the Ministry of Education, significant efforts are needed to implement the idea.
“But for a quick reformatting of a preschool educational institution, investments must be made. We need to re-equip and train teachers. After all, many workers no longer remember how to work with young children,” the agency explains.
This means that the state plans not only to open nurseries, but also to adapt the infrastructure and staff to the needs of the youngest.
Why nurseries are important
The initiative of the Ministry of Education has a deep economic basis.
“The opening of nurseries is extremely important in a time when the Ukrainian labor market is short of people and the demographic crisis is closely intertwined with the economic crisis,” the ministry says.
The war, migration, and declining birth rates have led to an acute labor shortage, and one of the key barriers to women returning to work is the lack of affordable preschool education for children.
The research Konovalova cites is impressive:
“Studies show that one hundred percent provision of children with preschool education services from the age of one means potentially 750,000 women in the labor market.”
If we start at the age of three months, the effect can be even greater. Young mothers will have the opportunity to resume their careers earlier, and the economy will get an additional boost by attracting hundreds of thousands of workers.
Challenges and prospects
The transition to the new model will not be easy. Converting infant facilities requires the creation of special conditions: safe areas, appropriate equipment, and sanitary standards. In addition, educators who are used to working with older children will need to be retrained.
“Many workers no longer remember how to work with young children,” the Ministry of Education admits, emphasizing the need for investment and training programs.
But despite the challenges, the initiative has the potential to become a lifeline for many families. The opening of nurseries can not only support women in their career aspirations, but also prevent the closure of kindergartens in regions where the number of preschoolers is decreasing due to the demographic crisis.
