News - 30.10.2025
VR rejects proposed changes to preschools in Reykjavík
VR fully rejects the proposed changes to the preschool system submitted by a working group under the auspices of the City of Reykjavík, which are currently under consultation. VR fully understands the challenges facing preschools but emphasizes that changes to the preschool system can have far-reaching social implications. Such changes must be thoroughly considered and supported by the best available data and knowledge. Children and parents of young children deserve the best, and a society that fails to properly support people at this sensitive time in life is a broken society.
Preschool issues are employment matters, and access to preschool is fundamental to parents being able to engage in paid work. With the significant fee increases proposed, parents are effectively being forced to shorten their children's preschool attendance instead of addressing the underlying funding and organizational issues faced by municipalities. It is unacceptable to shift the burden onto full-time working parents of young children, many of whom are already struggling with high housing costs and income reductions following parental leave and care gaps.
VR also points out that stakeholders providing feedback have not been given access to the data underlying these proposals, such as information on the staffing challenges in preschools, the impact of collective agreements and legal frameworks on preschool operations, as well as the effects of measures implemented in recent years, such as the shortening of the workweek and increased preparation time for employees, to name a few.
VR urges the City of Reykjavík and all municipalities to address the root causes of the issues surrounding the preschool system, rather than increasing the pressure, stress, and financial insecurity of parents with young children.
