Free Early Childhood Education for 2-3 Year-Olds: 8,500 Children Benefited in Aragón
The Government of Aragón has presented its model for free early childhood education for the 2 to 3-year-old level. The Minister of Education, Tomasa Hernández, and the Director General of Planning, Centers, and Vocational Training, Luis Mallada, detailed the measure on November 10, 2025, at the Early Childhood Education First Cycle Table, which included administrations, employers, families, and unions.
The measure aims to promote equality in access to education and contribute to the reconciliation of work and family life. The minister estimated that it will benefit approximately 8,500 potential students and is part of the commitment of the Aragonese Executive, led by Jorge Azcón, to move towards complete free education for children aged 0 to 3 years. The program will cover ten months of the school year and five hours each day.
The measure will have an annual cost of 13.2 million euros, in addition to the 17.7 million that the Department already allocates in this area. Its implementation is linked to the approval of the regional budget for 2026. Aragón currently has 77 early enrollment classrooms (746 students), 11 public nursery schools (826 children), and 167 partner schools with local administrations.
Classrooms for students aged 2-3 years with between 15 and 18 enrolled will receive approximately 40,000 euros. Classrooms with between 10 and 14 students will receive about 35,000 euros. Classrooms that do not reach at least ten students will not access regional funding in this first phase, although this requirement will be relaxed in rural areas. Partner schools with exclusive classrooms for 2-3-year-olds will receive 22,000 euros per classroom for the academic year. In mixed classrooms for children aged 0 to 3 years, funding will be supplemented with 150 euros per student aged 2 to 3 years over the ten-month school year. Nurseries with only municipal licenses will have a three-year grace period to adapt to the educational requirements of the Government of Aragón.
