Households’ payments in kindergartens, rates of change, 15 January 2002, January

The public kindergarten fees have experienced a larger decline than the private ones during the last six months. The public kindergarten fees were reduced by 2.3 per cent while the private fees only went down slightly by 0.4 per cent. The decrease is mainly due to increased kindergarten subsidy implemented on the 1st of July 2001. Several of the municipalities had already reduced the kindergarten fees by August 2001, while others have adopted the resolution during the last six months.

The largest decrease in the public kindergarten fees occurred in the region of Agder and Rogaland and in South-Eastern Norway by 4.7 and 4.4 per cent respectively. In Trøndelag and in the region of Oslo and Akershus, on the other hand, the fees increased. The private fees had a slight decrease and were characterized by small regional differences, as opposed to the public fees.

Year-to-year change: 3 per cent lower fees

The kindergarten fees have altogether been reduced by 3.0 per cent from January 2001 to January 2002, compared with an increase of 4.8 per cent during the same period last year. The largest decrease in the fees was registered in Western Norway.

The public fees went down 4.1 per cent from January 2001 to January 2002 while the private ones went up 1.6 per cent. The public fees experienced the strongest decline in Hedmark and Oppland, whereas Oslo and Akershus was the only region were a decrease in the fees did not occur. The private fees increased in most regions on a year-to-year basis, except in Western Norway.