AZE.US
Azerbaijan will cover 70% of private kindergarten fees under a new public-private financing model for preschool education.
Government support will be capped at 350 manats ($206) per child per month in Baku and 250 manats ($147) in other regions. Parents will pay the remaining portion of the fee.
Only licensed private preschools selected through a competition organized by the Ministry of Science and Education will be eligible for the program.
The cost of services will be one of the factors considered during the selection process. Private kindergartens charging higher fees will have a lower chance of qualifying for state funding, a rule intended to discourage unjustified price increases.
Contracts with participating preschools will run for 10 months. July and August will not be covered because attendance typically declines during the summer and the regular educational process is reduced.
Parents will be able to keep their children at the same kindergarten the following year if the institution wins the ministry’s competition again. Otherwise, they will need to choose another participating preschool.
The list of approved institutions will be published on the ministry’s official website. Parents will select a kindergarten through an electronic system, register their child and sign a contract with the institution.
The program is expected to reduce waiting lists at state-run kindergartens and expand access to preschool education.
It could also create new jobs as participating private kindergartens increase enrollment and hire additional teachers, caregivers and support staff.
Parents waiting for a place at a public kindergarten near their home or workplace will instead be able to select a nearby private institution covered by the program and pay only their share of the monthly fee.
AZE.US