First Release

Year: LXII.
Zagreb, 31 July 2025
OBR-2025-1-1

ISSN 1334-0557

KINDERGARTENS AND OTHER LEGAL ENTITIES IMPLEMENTING PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES.
BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

At the beginning of the 2024/2025 pedagogic year, according to the methodology of statistical data collection, there were 1 765 reporting units implementing preschool education and care programmes, of which 1 633 were kindergartens and 132 were other legal entities (basic schools, playrooms in libraries or other institutions or organisations).

Kindergartens founded by local government and self-government units were attended by 81.6% of children.

The total number of children covered by any preschool education and care programmes was 157 365, out of which 76 203 were girls (48.4%). There were 145 789 children covered by a regular programme, 7 628 by a preschool programme and 3 948 by a shorter programme.

There were 82.8% of children who spent eight and more hours in a kindergarten.

Out of the total number of kindergartens, 385 were self-contained, that is, those without departments, while 302 of them included departments. The number of departments amounted to 946.

Out of the total number of persons in employment, 59.6% were kindergarten teachers and teachers.

In the 2023/2024 school year, the preschool programme covered 7 628 children who did not attend a regular preschool programme.

 

1 KINDERGARTENS AND OTHER LEGAL ENTITIES IMPLEMENTING PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

 Founder Total Kindergartens Other legal entities
Self-contained With departments Departments Basic schools Playrooms in libraries Other institutions
Total 1 765 385 302 946 96 5 31
Republic of Croatia 6 2 - 1 2 1 -
Local government and self-government units 1 350 206 232 806 90 4 12
Other domestic legal entities and natural persons (private) 349 161 56 109 4 - 19
Religious communities 60 16 14 30 - - -

2 CHILDREN, BY TYPE OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMME AND BY SEX, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

 Founder Total In regular programmes In preschool institutions1) In shorter programmes
All Girls All Girls All Girls All Girls
Total 157 365 76 203 145 789 70 354 7 628 3 662 3 948 2 187
Republic of Croatia 618 407 387 285 116 57 115 65
Local government and self-government units 128 375 61 841 120 305 57 820 6 360 3 034 1 710 987
Other domestic legal entities and natural persons (private) 24 464 12 041 21 370 10 429 971 477 2 123 1 135
Religious communities 3 908 1 914 3 727 1 820 181 94 - -

1) The data refer to a preschool programme implemented in the 2023/2024 pedagogic year. 

3 CHILDREN, BY SEX AND BY TIME SPENT DAILY IN PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

 Founder Children Time spent daily in preschool programmes, hours Percentage of children by time spent in preschool programmes, hours
All Girls Less than 5 5 – 8  8 and more Less than 5 5 – 8 8 and more
Total 157 365 76 203 13 819 13 238 130 308 8,78 8,41 82,81
Republic of Croatia 618 407 234 113 271 37,86 18,28 43,85
Local government and self-government units 128 375 61 841 10 271 10 529 107 575 8,00 8,20 83,80
Other domestic legal entities and natural persons (private) 24 464 12 041 3 114 2 108 19 242 12,73 8,62 78,65
Religious communities 3 908 1 914 200 488 3 220 5,12 12,49 82,40

G-1 CHILDREN COVERED BY PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, BY AGE GROUPS, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

4 PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT IN KINDERGARTENS AND OTHER LEGAL ENTITIES IMPLEMENTING PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

  Persons in employment Kindergarten teachers and teachers  Medical staff  Pedagogues Psychologists and special education teachers Administrative staff Other staff
All Women All Women All Women All Women All Women All Women All Women
Total Total 28 090 26 846 16 750 16 548 621 587 577 558 671 637 1 258 1 112 8 213 7 404
  Full-time 26 479 25 358 16 333 16 149 420 397 430 418 546 519 1 156 1 021 7 594 6 854
Kindergartens Total 27 683 26 482 16 455 16 287 609 575 570 551 633 601 1 242 1 097 8 174 7 371
  Full-time 26 276 25 183 16 211 16 051 413 390 425 413 514 487 1 145 1 011 7 568 6 831
Preschool institutions1) Total 121 119 121 119 - - - - - - - - - -
  Full-time - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Other legal entities Total 286 245 174 142 12 12 7 7 38 36 16 15 39 33
  Full-time 203 175 122 98 7 7 5 5 32 32 11 10 26 23

1) The data refer to a preschool programme implemented in the 2023/2024 pedagogic year.

G-2 PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT IN KINDERGARTENS AND OTHER LEGAL ENTITIES, BY SEX, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

G-3 PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT IN KINDERGARTENS, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

5 PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT IN KINDERGARTENS, BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND SEX, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

 Founder Persons in employment Kindergarten teachers and teachers Medical staff Professional assistants Administrative staff Other staff
All Women All Women
Total All 27 683 26 482 16 455 16 287 609 1 203 1 242 8 174
  High 5 392 5 160 3 312 3 256 155 1 165 480 280
  Higher 13 239 13 062 12 260 12 160 384 38 336 221
  Secondary 7 116 6 344 881 869 70 - 421 5 744
  Basic 1 936 1 916 2 2 - - 5 1 929
Republic of Croatia All 81 77 51 51 2 5 3 20
  High 27 26 12 12 2 5 2 6
  Higher 40 40 39 39 - - 1 -
  Secondary 14 11 - - - - - 14
  Basic - - - - - - - -
Local government and self-government units All 23 415 22 424 13 860 13 729 442 900 1 017 7 196
  High 4 334 4 172 2 747 2 712 109 884 391 203
  Higher 11 316 11 181 10 586 10 499 278 16 273 163
  Secondary 5 916 5 241 526 517 55 - 348 4 987
  Basic 1 849 1 830 1 1 - - 5 1 843
Other domestic legal entities and natural persons All 3 553 3 379 2 172 2 140 139 248 181 813
  High 892 828 496 476 37 229 66 64
  Higher 1 552 1 523 1 340 1 331 91 19 58 44
  Secondary 1 032 952 335 332 11 - 57 629
  Basic 77 76 1 1 - - - 76
Religious communities All 634 602 372 367 26 50 41 145
  High 139 134 57 56 7 47 21 7
  Higher 331 318 295 291 15 3 4 14
  Secondary 154 140 20 20 4 - 16 114
  Basic 10 10 - - - - - 10

6 KINDERGARTENS AND OTHER LEGAL ENTITIES IMPLEMENTING PRESCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMMES, CHILDREN BY AGE GROUPS, PERSONS IN EMPLOYMENT BY COUNTIES, BEGINNING OF 2024/2025 PEDAGOGIC YEAR

  Kindergartens Other legal entities Children by age groups Persons in employment
All Up to 3 years 3 – 5 years 5 – 7 years and older All Out of that
Kindergarten teachers and teachers Medical staff
Republic of Croatia 1 633 132 157 365 35 295 59 467 62 603 28 090 16 750 621
State-owned 1 247 109 128 993 28 399 48 332 52 262 23 821 14 132 455
Private 326 23 24 464 6 206 9 536 8 722 3 635 2 246 140
Established by religious communities 60 - 3 908 690 1 599 1 619 634 372 26
County of Zagreb 110 10 12 864 3 261 4 879 4 724 2 253 1 290 49
State-owned 70 7 9 791 2 173 3 799 3 819 1 804 1 015 33
Private 36 3 2 890 1 053 1 004 833 418 254 15
Established by religious communities 4 - 183 35 76 72 31 21 1
County of Krapina-Zagorje 33 5 4 378 985 1 500 1 893 708 426 26
State-owned 27 5 3 932 845 1 350 1 737 645 388 21
Private 6 - 446 140 150 156 63 38 5
County of Sisak-Moslavina 37 5 4 355 1 042 1 550 1 763 846 494 18
State-owned 36 4 4 294 1 042 1 523 1 729 829 483 17
Private - 1 21 - 10 11 5 4 -
Established by religious communities 1 - 40 - 17 23 12 7 1
County of Karlovac 25 7 3 429 733 1 267 1 429 540 337 12
State-owned 23 7 3 305 697 1 232 1 376 527 329 12
Private 2 - 124 36 35 53 13 8 -
County of Varaždin 57 3 6 244 1 363 2 260 2 621 974 595 33
State-owned 30 2 3 362 674 1 158 1 530 573 345 20
Private 24 1 2 773 689 1 044 1 040 387 240 13
Established by religious communities 3 - 109 - 58 51 14 10 -
County of Koprivnica-Križevci 46 8 3 816 805 1 226 1 785 602 391 17
State-owned 33 8 2 807 587 903 1 317 476 306 15
Private 10 - 801 204 241 356 96 65 2
Established by religious communities 3 - 208 14 82 112 30 20 -
County of Bjelovar-Bilogora 31 8 3 435 685 1 294 1 456 568 314 21
State-owned 24 8 2 759 608 942 1 209 448 245 17
Private 7 - 676 77 352 247 120 69 4
County of Primorje-Gorski kotar 127 4 9 201 1 916 3 929 3 356 1 911 1 167 30
State-owned 101 3 7 831 1 722 3 314 2 795 1 676 1 006 29
Private 22 1 1 193 152 548 493 203 141 -
Established by religious communities 4 - 177 42 67 68 32 20 1
County of Lika-Senj 14 3 1 382 312 546 524 244 158 2
State-owned 14 3 1 382 312 546 524 244 158 2
County of Virovitica-Podravina 15 3 2 198 265 809 1 124 343 203 9
State-owned 14 3 2 137 265 772 1 100 329 197 9
Private 1 - 61 - 37 24 14 6 -
County of Požega-Slavonia 18 4 2 218 480 757 981 338 210 2
State-owned 15 4 1 909 410 621 878 299 182 2
Private 2 - 156 34 69 53 18 13 -
Established by religious communities 1 - 153 36 67 50 21 15 -
County of Slavonski Brod-Posavina 27 7 3 826 812 1 295 1 719 471 286 14
State-owned 24 4 3 361 751 1 109 1 501 422 256 12
Private 3 3 465 61 186 218 49 30 2
County of Zadar 93 2 6 267 1 076 2 498 2 693 1 205 732 45
State-owned 67 2 4 863 819 1 959 2 085 946 582 27
Private 22 - 1 231 252 467 512 222 129 16
Established by religious communities 4 - 173 5 72 96 37 21 2
County of Osijek-Baranja 90 13 8 363 1 698 3 091 3 574 1 201 832 20
State-owned 70 13 7 380 1 455 2 702 3 223 1 068 735 20
Private 18 - 832 182 329 321 111 80 -
Established by religious communities 2 - 151 61 60 30 22 17 -
County of Šibenik-Knin 49 2 4 315 1 088 1 705 1 522 805 490 10
State-owned 39 2 3 617 887 1 429 1 301 676 412 9
Private 7 - 512 158 200 154 101 62 1
Established by religious communities 3 - 186 43 76 67 28 16 -
County of Vukovar-Srijem 51 12 5 189 1 311 1 815 2 063 728 487 10
State-owned 40 12 4 145 1 027 1 417 1 701 596 395 5
Private 8 - 791 219 288 284 100 71 2
Established by religious communities 3 - 253 65 110 78 32 21 3
County of Split-Dalmatia 252 6 17 189 2 813 7 088 7 288 3 032 1 724 88
State-owned 197 4 13 018 2 159 5 142 5 717 2 395 1 362 55
Private 44 2 3 324 579 1 537 1 208 499 279 26
Established by religious communities 11 - 847 75 409 363 138 83 7
County of Istria 141 2 8 091 1 792 3 102 3 197 1 701 1 026 28
State-owned 110 2 6 861 1 467 2 602 2 792 1 510 881 25
Private 30 - 1 190 313 492 385 187 141 3
Established by religious communities 1 - 40 12 8 20 4 4 -
County of Dubrovnik-Neretva 56 1 5 112 1 161 2 050 1 901 870 550 18
State-owned 48 1 4 723 1 081 1 889 1 753 817 517 17
Private 5 - 186 18 83 85 26 17 -
Established by religious communities 3 - 203 62 78 63 27 16 1
County of Međimurje 52 7 5 105 1 096 1 734 2 275 736 462 27
State-owned 33 6 3 504 658 1 134 1 712 564 342 17
Private 17 1 1 523 407 568 548 163 112 9
Established by religious communities 2 - 78 31 32 15 9 8 1
City of Zagreb 309 20 40 388 10 601 15 072 14 715 8 014 4 576 142
State-owned 232 9 34 012 8 760 12 789 12 463 6 977 3 996 91
Private 62 11 5 269 1 632 1 896 1 741 840 487 42
Established by religious communities 15 - 1 107 209 387 511 197 93 9

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Data are the result of statistical data processing collected through the Annual Report on Kindergartens and Other Legal Entities Implementing Preschool Education Programmes (DV-PO form) from self-contained kindergartens, kindergartens with departments, departments and other legal entities (basic schools, playrooms in libraries and other health, social, sports and cultural institutions and organizations implementing preschool education programmes) in the Republic of Croatia active in the 2024/2025 pedagogic year, and refer to 31 October 2024.

Coverage and comparability

The statistical survey covers kindergartens and other legal entities implementing preschool education and care programmes on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. The data are comparable to the data from previous years relating to kindergartens. The coverage for 2004/2005 has been expanded on other legal entities implementing preschool education programmes. Data on the preschool programme refer to the 2023/2024 pedagogic year.

Definitions

Preschool education and care programmes intended for preschool children are implemented in nursery and kindergarten groups in kindergarten, irrespective of the founder, and can be classified as follows: regular programmes, preschool programmes and shorter programmes.

Preschool education programmes (not kindergartens) in other legal entities are realised in basic schools, in health institutions caring for children with developmental difficulties, in social institutions caring for children with developmental difficulties; as playrooms in libraries, shorter programmes in cultural institutions and shorter programmes in different organisations.

All preschool education programmes must be verified by the Ministry of Science and Education. They are established as constitutional units of the legal entities in question and must fulfil all conditions required for work with preschool children.

Kindergartens are public institutions that provide preschool education as a public service. Kindergarten can be established by the Republic of Croatia and local government units (state-owned kindergartens), religious communities (kindergartens established by religious communities) and other domestic legal entities and natural persons (private kindergartens).

Departments are dislocated parts of a central kindergarten, which include one or more education groups, established by kindergartens as required.

Preschool upbringing in kindergartens covers children of 6 months of age until school age.

Preschool education conducted in kindergartens and other legal entities for children over three years of age in the Republic of Croatia corresponds to the level 0 of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011).

Professional assistants are education professional, psychologist, special education teacher, foreign language teacher, music teacher, art teacher, dance teacher etc.

Preschool programme is conducted for children aged six who do not attend a regular preschool education programme as a preparation for school.

Shorter programmes include various contents (foreign languages, religious education, sports, dancing, musical or art classes etc.), which children attend for several hours per week or month.

The organisation and activity in kindergartens is based on the Act on Preschool Education and Care (NN, Nos 10/97, 107/07, 94/13, 98/19, 57/22 and 101/23).

Territorial constitution

Data on counties are presented according to the Act on Territories of Counties, Towns and Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia (NN, Nos 86/06, 125/06, 16/07, 95/08, 46/10, 145/10, 37/13, 44/13, 45/13 and 110/15) with the situation on 31 December 2024.

 

Abbreviations  
   
NN Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia
   
Symbols  
   
- no occurrence

 

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