Warsaw authorities plan to shut down several kindergartens in Śródmieście, Praga‑Południe, and Bielany next school year owing to a sharp decline in pre‑school‑aged children.
Summary of the Plan
Warsaw is preparing to close a number of kindergartens across three districts—Śródmieście, Praga‑Południe, and Bielany—following a sudden drop in the number of preschool‑aged children. This change undermines the city’s former image as a demographic “green island.”
The districts in question are classified as “growing old,” with shrinking cohorts of youngest residents and a rising elderly population. The municipal plans aim to consolidate services while addressing cost‑efficiency and demographic realities.
Śródmieście
In the city centre, three small, single‑class kindergartens operating out of rented residential spaces are slated for closure from the new school year. Currently, the first two facilities have only 23 children enrolled against 27 staff members.
The district council plans to transfer children to nearby municipal schools and to merge or re‑profile other institutions. Notably, Preschool No 36 “Odkrywcy Nowego Świata” will be merged with a neighbouring unit, and Preschool Integration No 38 near Bankowa Square will become a special school with additional units for children with special needs.
Praga‑Południe
In Praga‑Południe, the decision covers both outright liquidation and phased shutdowns. Primarily, branches housed in rented rooms—incurring the highest costs amid falling enrolments—will be closed.
Simultaneously, new kindergartens are being built on Gocław and Kamionk, where large housing estates are emerging and demand remains high. At “Saski Zakątek,” the council cites a weak demographic profile (few new applicants in the current recruitment cycle) and poor building condition that would require a costly overhaul.
Bielany
In Bielany, the target facilities include the “Wróbelka Elemelka” building, where children have already been relocated to Preschool No 308 “Krasnala Hałabały” on Reymonta Avenue. This move addressed under‑full classes and enabled a merger of the two groups.
The “Wróbelka Elemelka” will remain in the district’s stock, initially housing the Bielański Environmental Self‑Help Center during renovations, with a future plan to establish a music school. Preschool No 301 “Zaczarowany Świat na Słodowcu” will become a special school for children with special needs due to very low new enrolments.
Decision-Making Process
Closures are municipal resolutions drafted by the city hall, primarily by Deputy Mayor Renata Kaznowska of Education and the City Education Office. Sub‑district councils submit proposals based on local demographic analyses, enrolment numbers, and building maintenance costs. Draft resolutions are then presented to the Warsaw City Council for voting.
Demographic Drivers
The core driver is the profound demographic decline in Warsaw. Lower birth rates directly reduce the preschool‑aged population. Forecasts estimate that in the 2028/2029 school year, Warsaw preschools will have more than 15,500 fewer children than currently.
Existing vacancies have become the norm, especially in “growing old” central districts and older Bielany neighbourhoods, where single‑ or two‑class preschools have personnel exceeding pupil numbers.
Future of Remaining Facilities
City officials assure that every child from closed units will receive a place in another public preschool within a reasonable distance. In Śródmieście, parents will be offered schools a few hundred metres away; in Praga‑Południe, displaced children will join permanent schools within the same district.
Buildings vacated by preschools will not remain empty. Some will be repurposed into special or integrated schools to meet the rising demand for services for children requiring additional support. The city maintains a strategy of asymmetrical scaling—reducing sites in districts with rapidly declining numbers while expanding in areas experiencing residential growth such as Białołęka and Ursus.
