Early education reaches children unevenly across the EU

Early education participation varied across the EU in 2025: Germany reached 96.5% of children aged three to primary-school age, while Romania’s preschool participation rose to 79.4%.

  • Germany: Early education reached 96.5% of children aged three to primary-school age in 2025.
  • Romania: Preschool participation rose to 79.4% in 2025.
  • Lithuania: Enrolment among children under three stood at 43.3% in 2025, covering a younger age group than the German figure.

The figures show uneven participation across the EU, though the different age groups are not directly comparable.