State to cover preschool fees and lunches for 21,000 children

About 21,000 children up to the age of four will have their preschool fees and lunches paid by the state for the 2025–2026 school year, the finance ministry announced on Monday.

The programme carries a budget of €73 million, with €43.8 million funded by the European Union.

Implemented by the deputy welfare ministry under the Thalia 2021–2027 social cohesion programme, the scheme aims to promote equality in early education and care, reduce the risk of child poverty and social exclusion and lay the foundation for a more inclusive society.

Beneficiaries for this school year are families who have been approved for a child allowance and have a dependent child up to four years of age on August 31. The child must be enrolled or have been granted a position in an infant or nursery school participating in the programme.

The subsidy is awarded for each child separately and paid directly to the providers to ensure it covers only fees and meals.

The amount depends on household income, family size and the child’s age.

For infants up to two years old, the allowance can reach €350 per month, while for children over two it can reach €250, with an additional €50 for those in extended or afternoon care programmes.

The portal for applications opened on September 1. All applications are submitted online through Gov.cy, after the child has been enrolled. The list of infant and nursery schools participating in the programme is available on the deputy welfare ministry’s website.

Payments begin in the month the application is submitted and continue until the end of the school year during which the child turns four.

Fanos Kouroufexis, the ministry official overseeing the programme, described the subsidies as “a decisive instrument in supporting families with young children, promoting equality in education, and bringing Cyprus closer to a modern European model of social protection.”

The programme has been running since 2022 and has so far disbursed €47.5 million.