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Goodstart Early Learning in Traralgon and Oak Street Kindergarten in Drouin get upgrade funded from Building Blocks Improvement program

The Andrews Labor government is helping kindergartens to upgrade and improve their centres, giving every Victorian child the best start to life.

By news@gippsland - 14th October 2022 - Back to News

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing has today announced that three kindergartens will join the ranks of over 100 other Early Childhood services to benefit from the Building Blocks Improvement grant program:

• Goodstart Early Learning Ltdin Traralgon will receive $1,000,000 to go towards refurbishing and upgrading their Park Lane and Grey Street Kinders, who will both receive new flooring, LED lighting, a kitchen refurbishment, a full playground upgrade, and upgraded bathroom facilities
• Oak Street Kindergarten in Drouin will receive $96,667 to demolish old sheds and extend an existing storeroom to provide a safer, more functional, and accessible storage space

These kindergartens are part of 104 services set to share in $17.7 million in funding to renovate and refurbish their centres. Building Blocks Improvement grants of up to $500,000 are available towards an early learning facility upgrade or improvement project, providing services with funding to help them renovate and refurbish their centres.

Building Blocks Improvement grant program ensures that every Victorian child will get access to a great school that prepares them to thrive in the 21st century

Investment for early childhood

The Labor government is delivering an ambitious overhaul of early childhood education and care, with a massive $9 billion investment over the next decade to save families money and support women to return to the workforce.

Three-Year-Old Kinder is already rolling out across the state, expanding universal access to 15 hours of government-funded kinder every week - and from next year, it will be free.

Four-Year-Old Kinder will also be free, providing much-needed relief for family budgets and giving more women a choice to return to the workforce.

Building the education state

With 90 percent of a child's brain developing before the age of five, early education has a profound effect on the way children develop. In addition to these nation-leading reforms, and to help address the current shortage of available childcare places, the Labor government will establish 50 government-operated and affordable childcare centres in areas that need them most.

The Labor government is also ensuring that every new Victorian primary school set to open from 2021 will have a kindergarten on-site or next door, to avoid the dreaded double drop-off, reduce the burden on parents, and help build the Education State.

Visit Victorian School Building Authority page to apply.

Delivering best outcomes

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said, "These grants will enable our always busy Early Childhood Centres in Drouin and Traralgon to improve their facilities and technology, and assist our extraordinary educators to deliver the best outcomes for our littlest Gippslanders."

Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt said, "We're delivering unprecedented investment in early childhood services so our children can get the most out of great local kindergartens. These grants will help local councils and early childhood services across Victoria to improve their kindergartens and help set them up for the future."

Pictures from Google Maps.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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