The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to support our youngest Victorians in regional areas reach their full potential, with brand-new kindergartens opening in Koo Wee Rup, Portland and Stawell early next year.
Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt today announced the locations of the three new kindergartens - delivered through a total of $6 million in Building Blocks Capacity grants - which will provide local early learners with brand-new, modern facilities to begin their education journey in.
A two-room modular kindergarten will be built on the Koo Wee Rup Primary school site, creating up to 90 kindergarten places for local families when it opens in Term 1, 2024.
Families in the growing region will also get more child and family services in one convenient location, with Cardinia Shire Council to run a maternal and child health service from the new kinder.
Children in Portland are getting bigger and better early learning spaces, with new kinder facilities providing up to 90 kindergarten places. A new kindergarten will be delivered via modular construction at Bundarra Primary School, which will welcome its youngest learners in Term 1, 2024
Marrang Kindergarten & Early Childhood Centre in Stawell will also receive two single-room modular kindergarten buildings. The additional rooms at the service will support a new sessional kinder program from Term 1, 2024, and provide up to 90 more kindergarten places for nearby families.
These modern facilities will give local children a space to learn, explore and grow through play-based learning, supporting their development with two years of quality kindergarten for the best start to education and life.
The Victorian Budget 2023/24 invests an additional $1.2 billion to build or expand kindergartens across the state, supporting the delivery of 15 hours of free Three-Year-Old Kindergarten each week by 2029 and 30 hours of free Pre-Prep each week by 2032.
Through our nation-leading $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms, the Labor Government is transforming early childhood education to help children thrive, save families money and support parents - especially women - to return to work or study if they choose.
As stated by Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep Ingrid Stitt
"We're delivering more early childhood services right across Victoria, so more children and families can benefit from two years of quality play-based learning before they start school."
"These new modular kinders will give more children in Koo Wee Rup, Portland and Stawell the chance to attend a great local kindergarten, where they can learn, play and make new friends."
