Bogotá Expands Early Childhood Education: 30,000 New Spots for Children

Bogotá is rolling out the 'Una Educación que te responde' policy under the 2024-2027 Development Plan to deliver 30,000 new places for children aged 0-5. Decree 208 of 2026 establishes the District System for Integral Care (SDAIPI) to guarantee universal and equitable access to initial education across the city.

The changes affect families with young children who currently seek district care services and families whose children attend official schools that may shift to longer single-day schedules. The policy uses lower birth rates to free up existing school capacity without new construction in every case.

Early childhood places and school schedules

Under the plan, the district prioritizes integral care for early childhood while expanding jornada única coverage from 20 percent to 30 percent. This means some primary and secondary students will move from split morning and afternoon sessions to a single extended school day once capacity adjustments are complete.

Residents in neighborhoods served by public schools will notice the effects first when new early childhood places open and when selected schools announce schedule changes. The government projects these adjustments will occur progressively during the 2024-2027 period as enrollment patterns stabilize.

Next steps for families

Parents seeking places for children aged 0-5 can follow announcements from the Secretaría de Educación on enrollment periods tied to the new system. Schools will communicate directly with families about any shift to jornada única once the district confirms capacity at each site. The timeline for individual families depends on local demand and the pace of place creation under Decree 208 of 2026.