Mapping the population coverage with kindergartens’ service in Leninsky district, Saransk, RF

The Russian system of pre-school education is unique both in its mass character and in the diversity of services; today it is the most intensively developing sector in the education system. The situation related to preschool education in Russia can be called a crisis. The main problem is the impeded accessibility of preschool education, which is currently not implemented in a proper way. The growth in the number of places in preschool institutions is catastrophically behind the growth in the number of children. Revealing the accessibility and differences in locating preschool institutions can be solved through using geoinformation technologies. As a result of our research, we specified the population coverage with the service of children’s preschool institutions in Leninsky district, Saransk, RF. The peculiar properties of preschool institutions placement are defined and the assessment of children’s preschool institutions’ service availability according to demographic structure of the population is carried out. As a result, a population density map of Leninsky district of Saransk was created. As part of the research, we developed a method of making a map of the preschool institutions accessibility. To value the provision of population with these institutions, several zones were identified taking the area of service into account. Using this technique, evaluation maps characterizing the provision of the population with children’s preschool institutions in the Leninsky district, Saransk, RF were made. The results of the research can be used by local authorities at assessing the state of the city’s infrastructure.