The Tallinn City Government has submitted a draft regulation to the City Council, proposing a reduction in municipal kindergarten fees starting from April 1, 2025.

Under the new system, the parental contribution for a municipal kindergarten will be 50 euros per month, and for kindergartens with a swimming pool, 56 euros per month. Currently, these fees are 71.25 and 78.26 euros per month, respectively.

According to Deputy Mayor Aleksei Jašin, lowering kindergarten fees is an important step in supporting families during difficult times and making quality early education more accessible. “This is a clear message that Tallinn cares about every child and every family. Our goal is to ensure that every child in the city has equal access to quality education, regardless of the family's financial situation,” said the deputy mayor. He stressed that the city must take a needs-based approach to support measures. “Therefore, families in economically challenging situations, families with multiple children, and children with special educational needs are exempt from the fee. However, all other families should contribute the reduced amount,” added Jašin. “It is also important to continue supporting children attending private kindergartens and daycare centers at the same level, as these institutions are also part of Tallinn's educational network. The 2025 city budget includes compensation for kindergartens to cover the fee reduction so that the change does not negatively impact the funding of early education institutions,” said the deputy mayor.

As of the end of February 2025, a total of 19,764 children are attending municipal kindergartens in Tallinn. Of these, nearly one-third, or 6,443 children, are exempt from the fee due to family income, multiple children in the family, or special educational needs.

Under the new system, the kindergarten fee will no longer be linked to the national minimum wage but will instead be a fixed amount, providing families with greater financial clarity and helping them plan their expenses more effectively. Additionally, support for children attending private early childhood education institutions will remain unchanged at 71.25 euros per child per month. This ensures continued availability and quality of services for families who have opted for private kindergartens or daycare services instead of municipal options.

The additional costs required for the fee reduction have been accounted for in the 2025 Tallinn city budget. The estimated financial impact of this change is 2.4 million euros for 2025 and approximately 3.2 million euros annually from 2026 onwards.
The proposal to reduce kindergarten fees requires approval from the Tallinn City Council to take effect.