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PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

In 1992 there were approximately 15,000 kindergartens throughout the country, with an enrollment of about 1,950,000 children. The proportion of enrolled children according to specific age groups was about 64% for five-year olds, about 57% for four-year olds and about 25% for three-year olds. There are, however, regional imbalances in the level of development of kindergartens, in fact there are no kindergartens in 940 of the nations municipalities.

In recent years certain changes have emerged in the circumstances surrounding children, such as an increase in the number of nuclear families and of families with only one or two children. As a result, the parents of kindergarten children have heightened expectations for the development of kindergarten education including that for three-year-old children. In March 1991, the Government decided on a plan for the promotion of kindergarten education with the aim of enrolling all children (including three-year-olds) who wish to enter kindergartens. Based on this plan, the Government will further endeavor to promote improvements in kindergartens and kindergarten education.

As a means of reducing the financial burdens of parents/guardians of kindergarten children, the Ministry partially subsidizes those local governments which support a system for reduced kindergarten entrance and educational fees.

Moreover the Ministry is also partially subsidizing new construction, renovation and improvements of public and private kindergarten facilities.