Dilip Kuner
MALAGA’S nurseries have kicked off the new school year with a problem no parent expected – thousands of empty places.
Despite a slight rise in births, more than 6,500 state-funded nursery spots are sitting vacant across the province. Out of 23,465 available seats for the crucial 0–3 age group, only around 17,000 tots are enrolled.
It’s not a one-off either – the vacancies are growing. Last year, 6,382 places were left empty, while the year before saw 6,023 go unfilled.
Education chiefs admit the figures look worrying, but say more families tend to enrol their little ones as the year goes on. They expect around 20,000 children to be in nursery by the end of term.
Still, the numbers highlight a strange mismatch: while Andalucia actually boasts one of Europe’s highest nursery enrolment rates (58.6%), Malaga nurseries are struggling to fill classrooms.
There is one silver lining for parents – this year, nursery is completely free for two-year-olds in both public centres and private schools partnered with the Junta. The government has pumped €40 million into the scheme, part of a €400 million package aimed at helping families juggle work and childcare.
Over the next few years, officials promise to expand free childcare to cover babies from birth onwards, though campaigners want it rolled out much sooner than the six-year timeline currently planned.
For now, nurseries run from 7.30am to 5pm year-round (except August), offering families up to eight hours of care per day – and much-needed support for working parents.
So while thousands of spaces are going begging, the Junta insists free and flexible childcare will eventually tempt more families to sign up.
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