$98.4 million for kindergartens in WA

as posted here

The Hon Kate Ellis MP
Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth
17 September, 2009
Media release
$98.4 million for kindergartens in WA

The Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth Kate Ellis today announced $98.4 million to help build a world-class early childhood education system in Western Australia.

This significant investment will boost the number of kindergarten hours that eligible Western Australian children will receive in the coming years.

“Early childhood education is the foundation of the Government’s education revolution,” Ms Ellis said.

“We know that the quality of learning experiences during the early years of a child’s life set the stage for all future learning and development. And that is why we are making this major funding commitment.”

Ms Ellis said each state and territory has a different starting point, so will take different approaches to improving early childhood education, such as boosting the number of places, increasing the number of hours and reducing cost.

Welcoming the announcement, WA Education Minister Liz Constable said the increased hours of attendance would be offered at all public, independent and Catholic schools in WA by 2013.

“WA already offers 11 hours of early learning a week and has around 95 per cent participation and the Western Australian Government is committed to maintaining the state’s high rate of kindergarten participation and increasing the hours to 15 per week,” Dr Constable said.

“Schools will progressively be added each year on a district-by-district basis. The first group of schools for 2010 will be announced in coming weeks.

“By 2013 all WA children will have access to 15 hours of kindergarten by a university-trained early childhood teacher every week, 40 weeks per year.

“A priority for us is to improve the participation of Indigenous children to help close the gap between the achievements of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.”

The funding follows an agreement between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to implement the Council of Australian Government’s National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education.

The National Partnership supports the Government’s election commitment that by 2013, in the year before they start full time school all children will have access to 15 hours a week of quality early childhood education for 40 weeks a year, to be delivered by a university-trained early childhood teacher.

“The national partnership will help make kindergarten services more affordable and accessible for families,” Ms Ellis said.

“The Rudd Government has committed $970 million over five years to early childhood education through the national partnership. Of this major investment, $955 million will go directly to the states and territories to achieve universal access to early childhood education.”

The Rudd Government’s Universal Access initiative will also be supported by a range of early childhood reforms, including the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework, which began in July 2009. This framework provides guidance to parents and early childhood educators to support early learning.

The Government has also committed $126.6 million nationally over four years to support the training and retention of more, better qualified early childhood professionals.

“Governments across Australia are working together to create a world-class early childhood education system, so that our children can have the best possible start in life,” Ms Ellis said.

Further details on the National Partnership for Early Childhood Education and Universal Access to childhood education can be found on the Early Childhood Policy Agenda page at www.deewr.gov.au.

Media Contact:

media@deewr.gov.au

Non-media queries: 1300 363 079


as posted here