Shafaq News- Baghdad
Kindergarten costs in Baghdad are consuming an increasingshare of household incomes, with some families now paying more than 600,000dinars ($456) a month for tuition, transport, and meals, Shafaq News learned onSaturday.
In several private kindergartens in Al-Karkh district,monthly tuition for mid-range services starts at around 200,000 dinars ($152),excluding transport costs ranging between 75,000-150,000 dinars ($57-114),depending on distance. Once uniforms, meals, and activities are included, totalmonthly expenses in some cases surpass 550,000 dinars ($418).
“Each child was supposed to cost 200,000 dinars ($152),” amother of two recalled, describing how expectations shifted after enrollment.“The total ended up exceeding 800,000 dinars ($608).”
Noting that additional charges for events and activities areintroduced regularly, with participation sometimes linked to payment, sheexplained that uniforms and learning materials must be purchased directly fromthe kindergarten at prices above market rates, while outside purchases are notaccepted.
A government employee, Sara Hassan, told Shafaq News thatmost of her salary now goes toward kindergarten expenses. With both parentsworking full-time and no nearby family support, she enrolled her child in anearby private facility.
Hassan explained that uniform costs are nearly double marketprices, while transport, food, and recurring activity fees continue to increasefinancial pressure.
Kindergarten fees vary widely across Baghdad. In parts ofAl-Rusafa, monthly payments can start at around 50,000 dinars ($38), while inseveral Al-Karkh areas they rise several times higher depending on servicesprovided.
Some parents, however, point to stronger educationaloutcomes in higher-fee institutions. A father who enrolled his two-year-old sonin a kindergarten in Al-Mansour district reported visible progress after oneyear. “He started recognizing letters, writing, and repeating English andFrench words,” he observed, adding that behavior and daily habits alsoimproved.
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By contrast, other parents describe limited benefits inlower-cost kindergartens.
A mother from Zafaraniya recounted that her daughter spent ayear in a local kindergarten without gaining basic skills. In some cases, shenoted, the child returned home with unfamiliar expressions and behaviors.
After raising concerns with the administration withoutchange, she withdrew her daughter and placed her in informal care with aneighbor who works as a teacher, citing noticeable improvements in behavior andearly learning since the switch.
Government kindergartens remain limited in capacity andcoverage. A father of two, Emad Saeed, pointed out that many neighborhoods relyon a single public facility, often insufficient for demand.
“They do not accept children under four,” he explained,adding that working hours end at 1 p.m. local time, while most governmentemployees finish later in the day.
The Ministry of Education has previously set fees forgovernment kindergartens at 50,000 dinars ($38) upon registration and 25,000dinars ($19) per month for nursery-level children. Private kindergarten fees,however, remain unregulated.
A ministry spokesperson, Karim Al-Sayyid, clarified thatpricing for private kindergartens falls outside the ministry’s oversight andvaries by location, noting that families retain the freedom to choose thekindergarten that best fits their needs.
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