China’s State Council has issued detailed guidelines that will waive tuition, care and education fees for children attending the final year of public kindergarten, starting with the autumn 2025 semester. The measure marks the first nationwide step toward making preschool education free, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Under the plan, public kindergartens will absorb the cost of the last preschool year, while private providers may continue to charge if their tuition exceeds the amount covered by the waiver. The government said the policy is meant to ease the financial burden on families and will be rolled out gradually, with further steps toward fully free preschool to be outlined later. The tuition waiver adds to a growing package of incentives designed to reverse the country’s record-low birth rate. Earlier this year authorities unveiled an annual subsidy of 3,600 yuan ($500) for every child under three, and several cities have expanded parental-leave benefits and housing support. The urgency has risen as demographic pressures start to reshape the education sector: preschool enrolment fell by roughly 12 million between 2021 and 2024, according to official data cited by The Economist. The State Council urged local governments to secure funding, expand teacher training and tighten oversight of private providers to ensure consistent service quality. Further regulations detailing budget allocations and eligibility criteria are expected ahead of the 2025–26 school year.