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Drouin to benefit from $270M Free Kinder programs as part of the Best Start, Best Life reform from Victorian government

Drouin children will be learning at a brand-new local kindergartens in Term 1, making early childhood education more accessible and helping families avoid the dreaded double drop-off, thanks to the Andrews Labor government.

By news@gippsland - 30th January 2023 - Back to News

Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt today announced 11 new kindergartens located on or next door to existing school sites, creating education precincts in local communities to give all children the best start in life. Drouin's new kindergarten will be built in partnership with Baw Baw Shire Council and will be located next door to Drouin West Primary School, helping local children make a smoother transition into primary school and help parents ditch the double drop-off.

Drouin West Primary School has been announced as the location for a new state-of-the-art Kinder Centre

Preparing Victorian kids

It will provide 66 kindergarten places and include an outdoor learning and play space. New kindergartens will also be opening at Newhaven Primary School, Wonthaggi Primary School, and in metropolitan Melbourne.

With 90 percent of a child's brain developing before the age of five, early education has a profound effect on the way our kids develop. That's why we promised to deliver Three-Year-Old Kinder - making sure Victorian kids are ready for school and set for life, while also saving families thousands of dollars in standalone kinder fees.

Free Kinder program

Up to 140,000 children and families will benefit from Free Kinder this year under the $270 million initiative, children enrolled in Three-Year-Old Kindergarten will receive between 5 and 15 hours of funded learning each week, and those in Four-Year-Old Kindergarten will receive 15 hours per week.

It's all part of the Labor government's massive Best Start, Best Life reform - delivering Free Kinder, creating 50 government-owned and operated childcare centres and establishing Pre-Prep, an extra year of play-based learning that will also save families money and help more women back into work.

Free Kinder programs are available at 97 percent of funded kindergarten services across the state, including sessional services and long day-care centres.

Convenience and accessibility

Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt said, "Kindergartens on school sites are all about delivering better facilities and education to children in early education by making the transition to school that much easier. We're already giving every Victorian kid an extra year of kinder - and now we're taking action to make sure kinders are more convenient and accessible for busy families."

Harriet Shing, Member for Eastern Victoria said, "The brand-new kindergarten located at Drouin West Primary will be bright, modern, and accessible, and help 66 of our littlest West Gippslanders to get the best possible start to their education."

"Being collocated at the primary school also makes pickup and drop off easier for busy parents and will make the transition easier for new students in this rapidly growing part of the state." Ms Shing said.

Pictures from Harriet Shing MP Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com