[ad_1]
The government led by Ingrida Šimonytė, who began working in December, has set itself the goal of linking the child’s money with attendance at kindergartens in families at social risk.
“We will remove the financial incentives not to put the child in kindergarten,” the government said in one program.
Effective from September
Such a procedure, according to the SMSM, could take effect in September, but how it will work in concrete terms is not yet clear.
“A plan will be developed to link the child’s money to kindergarten attendance so that the allocated money is not used for other purposes. That plan will be more detailed in the plan.
The ministry expects the changes to take effect on September 1 of this year.
The Ministry expects the reforms to come into effect on September 1 of this year, as well as the new provision of the Education Law on compulsory preschool education for children who grow up in conditions of social risk.
Until then, the Ministers of Education, Science and Sports and of Social Security and Labor will also approve a procedure detailing those conditions ”. 15 minutes specified by the Ministry.
It is true, he added, “the ministry will seek ways to link the child’s money with his institutional education.”
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15 min photo / Ministry of Education, Science and Sports
“Parents don’t care, the state will take care”
Ensuring that children attend kindergarten, according to the SMSM, is necessary so that they have the right conditions to learn and improve their achievements.
And according to the data provided by the municipalities, there are about 4,000 of those children who grow up in families at social risk and do not attend preschool educational institutions.
“They will be gradually included in compulsory preschool education,” said the reply.
– The earlier a child receives a quality institutional education, the better their learning outcomes in school. So if the parents (guardians) don’t take care of the children, then the state must take care of them.
The state must ensure equitable access to quality preschool education for all children, and especially for those who may not be so lucky in life, whose parents (guardians) lack the skills for care or parenting. “
Photo by Saulius Žiūra / Kindergarten
Will allocate funds from the state budget
The obligation to attend kindergartens for children from families at social risk appeared in the Education Law in 2011, but municipalities did not have the possibility to guarantee it, ŠMSM noted.
The Seimas adopted reforms to the Education Law initiated by the President, which will come into force in September, according to which children at social risk may continue to receive compulsory education in kindergartens, but it will no longer be financed from municipal budgets but with state funds.
As of September this year, about a thousand people can come to kindergartens. children.
“The municipalities, whose independent function is to take care of preschool education, did not have enough money to provide compulsory preschool education to all children from families at social risk. As a result, the state increased funding for the education of these children and planned to allocate an additional 1.3 million. euros.
It is estimated that as of September this year, a thousand more people will be able to attend the preschool education programs in progress. children who grow up at social risk. They will receive funding from the state budget not only for education, but also for restoration and transport, ”ŠMSM said.
Municipalities will have to take care of transportation
It is the municipalities that must guarantee the transport of children who live farther from the center to the kindergartens.
“Without a doubt, the municipalities will have to ensure that the transportation of children to and from the nearest educational institution, which administers preschool education programs, is organized. There simply would be no financial incentives for children to stay home after transportation, ”the ministry said.
Children from social risk families who attend kindergartens learn better, which in the long run affects economic growth, reduces state social spending, has taught the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (SADM).
This is why it is proposed to link the payment of a child’s money to kindergarten attendance.
“The exact measures and implementation timelines will be clear when the government program action plan is prepared and approved,” 15 minutes said Edita Banienė, head of the Communication Department of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Will include case managers, social workers
It is true that he noted that case managers or social workers who work with families will be involved in the process.
Irmanto Gelūno / 15min nuotr./Šeima
“For families at social risk, the way and method of providing money to children, as well as other benefits for children, is chosen by the case manager or social worker who works with the family.
He usually makes a recommendation to the municipality on the most appropriate use of the benefits, such as paying for childcare in kindergartens, paying for clubs, covering the purchase of equipment for the student’s education, etc.
Thus, a similar procedure will be sought to ensure compulsory education for preschool-age children, ”said E. Banienė.
Advisor to the President: All measures should be encouraged.
The Presidency also expressed its support for the Government’s initiative on the conditions for the payment of child money to families at social risk.
“All measures to ensure high-quality pre-school education for children should be encouraged. <...>
A properly balanced system of social benefits and motivation can contribute to the goal of guaranteeing pre-school education for as many children as possible, paying particular attention to the availability and promotion of pre-school education in the regions, ”said Jolanta Karpavičienė, Chief Adviser of the President.
Photo by Vidmantas Balkūnas / 15min / Jolanta Karpavičienė
However, Linas Kukuraitis, a former minister of Social Security and Labor and now a “peasant” from Seimas who works in the opposition, urged not to rush with the changes.
L. Kukuraitis urged to wait
It’s worth waiting until it’s clear if there will be more kindergarten attendees after the state begins paying for the education of the toughest preschoolers.
A pilot study of such a model, according to the politician, is already underway.
“Already in autumn, ŠMSM together with SADM launched pilot projects. Municipalities have identified the children who would like to enroll in preschool education, paying higher benefits to municipalities.
I would be in no rush to limit benefits to families.
He would not be in a hurry to limit benefits to families, but he would certainly develop this work to incentivize municipalities. In my opinion, municipalities have a very clear understanding of the need for these children to attend kindergartens ”. 15 minutes commented L. Kukuraitis.
Warned of risks
According to him, the initiative to pay child money only to children of families who attend kindergarten can be harmful.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Linas Kukuraitis
“The incentive, which is just as criminal if you do not take your children to kindergarten, do not receive your child’s money, has skyrocketed, but until the first step: a network of kindergartens in the regions, the municipalities they become more separated and pushing towards an even greater social risk ”, commented L. Kukuraitis.
The peasant government legalized universal child money in 2018.
[ad_2]
