As many as 4,988 more children were enrolled in pre-school education institutions in Croatia at the start of the school year 2021-22 than in the previous school year, which is the highest increase in the last five years, state agency Hina said on Monday, citing data compiled by the state statistics bureau.

Hina did not explain whether the increase was due to more children or more kindergarten capacity.

“This school year the total number of children included in preschool education programs reached 142,440, of whom 68,933 were girls (48.4%). The largest number of children enrolled in preschool education programs was in the City of Zagreb (37,620), followed by Split-Dalmatia County (15,699) and Zagreb County (11,508),” Hina said.

Most children (81.2%) attended nurseries run by local government authorities, and 78.8% spent at least eight hours a day there.

Preschool education programs included 41.11% of children aged 5-7, 37.2% aged 3-5, and 21.69% aged up to three years old.

Teachers accounted for 61.9% of preschool employees, and 95% of all employees were women.