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according to the latest data from the beijing municipal education commission, there are currently 753 inclusive kindergartens in beijing with 995 daycare classes, which can provide 19,817 inclusive daycare places for children aged 2 to 3. the new fall semester of 2024 has started for some time. how are the daycare classes running? are the "little kids" doing well in daycare?

judging from the visits of our reporter, the policy is bringing about obvious changes. for the kindergarten, the truth is revealed in the details. although there is only one word difference between "nursery class" and "small class", for children at this stage, the age difference of one month makes a big difference in ability. in terms of facilities and equipment alone, a comprehensive transformation should be carried out from the perspective of early childhood. the three-layer nap bed was replaced with a single-layer small bed, and audio books, non-slip mats, rounded tables and chairs were added. low swings, gentle slopes, and small slides were designed, and no carelessness was allowed. in addition, the "step-by-step" admission model for the nursery class also reassures parents-at first, parents can accompany their children to the kindergarten all day or half a day, and gradually transition to no parents accompanying them. children enter the kindergarten in time periods, and the separation anxiety of "little children" is greatly reduced. in general, universal childcare has started smoothly and solved the "urgent needs" of many families.

the expansion of childcare will benefit not only the "little kids". in recent years, the total number of newborns has declined, and kindergartens are also faced with the problem of activating resources and reducing costs. opening daycare classes is undoubtedly a good way to solve this problem. in fact, the demand for childcare in society is very strong, especially in modern cities like beijing, where the work intensity is high and the pace of life is fast. a large number of dual-income families are not energetic enough to take care of young children. however, due to the insufficient number and high prices of market-oriented daycare classes, many office workers can only ask their parents for help. when there are daycare classes at affordable prices and good quality at the doorstep, this part of the demand will naturally be better met. while reducing the burden on more families, this also provides support for the sustainable development of kindergartens.

the expansion of universal childcare is also a pragmatic move to build a fertility-friendly society. for most families, raising children is a big investment. whether to have children and how many children to have involves many considerations, such as economic conditions, manpower and energy. in recent years, from the national to the local level, many measures have been introduced to encourage childbirth and reduce everyone's worries. the expansion of universal childcare is also a substantial policy red envelope. in addition, beijing has also clearly stated that it will strengthen support for housing, transportation, education and other aspects for families with many children. i believe that with the implementation of these tangible benefits, more people's fertility expectations can be stabilized.

some practitioners admit that the mentality of some parents has quietly changed. they no longer regard sending their children to daycare as a helpless move, but realize that it is a positive move to "experience collective life and promote ability development." it can be seen that the guiding role of policies should not be underestimated. listening to the people's expectations and taking a positive step forward to make universal childcare services better and better can also make the city more harmonious and livable.

source beijing daily client | commentator cui wenjia

process editor: ma xiaoshuang