Public kindergartens available in just 50% of municipalities

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Families with small children can access public or subsidised kindergarten facilities in just over 50% of municipalities, national statistics agency Istat said in a report published Tuesday.
    In the 2012-2013 school year 50.7% of municipalities offered such support to families, compared to 32.8% in 2003-2004, Istat said.
    However the distribution of services varied according to geographical area, with the percentage of municipalities providing their own or subsidised kindergarten facilities ranging from 22.5% in the south to 76.3% in the north east.
    The percentage of children aged 0-2 enrolled at public or subsidised kindergarten facilities also differed by area, from 3.6% in the south to 17.5% in the centre.
    In absolute terms 198,705 children attended public or subsidised kindergarten facilities across Italy in the 2012-2013 school year, up 36% over 2003-2004, Istat said.