NORTH East kindergartens will share more than $1 million of government funding for upgrades to early learning centres.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Rutherglen Kindergarten had been concerned they would not be able to meet the requirements of a new federal government initiative giving all preschool children access to 15 hours of education each week because of a lack of space.
But a $293,602 grant announced yesterday will allow them to build a $393,381 expansion.
“We’ll have the space to be able to run concurrent classes if we need to,” committee of management president Louisa Dunne said.
“At the moment we’re limited to 26 children at any one time. With our new facility we will be able to increase that.”
The whole kindergarten will be redeveloped, with an extra classroom that would include toilets and storage.
“We can offer different facilities, we can put the maternal child health there if they want to or playgroup can come and move in,” Mrs Dunne said.
“We can offer a community based program, not just for children.”
Member for Murray Valley Tim McCurdy welcomed the funding announcement, a combination of state and National Partnership funding which incorporated the 2011-12 $26 million grants round, money brought forward from the recently announced $50 million grants round and $4.4 million in internal departmental funds.
“This is great news for local children, not just now but well into the future,” he said.
Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell made the announcement yesterday, with 97 early childhood services across the state to receive more than $40 million for upgrades.
Other North East kindergartens to benefit are Beechworth Montessori Children’s Group with $300,000, Stanley Street Preschool (Wodonga) with $300,000 and Kids On Campus (Wodonga) with $299,397.