Media Releases

10 Feb 2010 - More SA families to Get More Preschool Time

THE HON KATE ELLIS MP
MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
CHILD CARE AND YOUTH



THE HON JAY WEATHERILL
MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT


MEDIA RELEASE


Wednesday, 10 February 2010

More SA families to get more preschool time

More South Australian children will get extra time at kindergarten and some will go to kindy for the first time, thanks to another round of universal access to preschool in SA.

Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education Kate Ellis and South Australian Minister for Early Childhood Development Jay Weatherill today announced the next 38 South Australian preschools to be funded under the program.

"We want to make sure that all Australian children have the opportunity to reap the rewards of a quality early childhood education," Ms Ellis said.

"Kindergarten lays a path to good health, education and social development and forms a basis for children to become happy and confident learners when they go to school."

"In partnership with the SA Government, we're working to ensure that all children have access to a kindergarten education delivered by a university-trained early childhood teacher for 15 hours per week, 40 weeks a year, by 2013," she said.

In SA, the program means children will be able to access 15 hours of preschool a week  up from the current 11 hours.

Mr Weatherill said the 38 preschools to benefit in round two include Modbury Child Parent Centre, Morphett Vale East Kindergarten, Port Augusta West Childhood Services Centre, Point Pearce Child Parent Centre, Whyalla Stuart Early Childhood Centre and Loxton North Kindergarten. The extra hours will become available from term three.

The first round of 98 preschools was announced in October last year and extra hours at those locations will be rolled out this term.

"Kindy prepares children for school and gives them the best possible start to their education. We want to see access to preschool places improved for families and see their children enjoying more time at kindy," Mr Weatherill said.

"About 3800 children are already benefiting from the extra preschool hours that have been rolled out in term one and a further 960 will benefit from the second round in term three.

As part of a trial of universal access, Pennington Kindergarten in Adelaide's inner west increased its preschool hours from 11 to 15 per week.

"At Pennington Kindergarten the extra hours saw better access for families and increased educational benefits for children, including more support for children with English as a second language," Mr Weatherill said.

"Research shows that a quality early childhood education can significantly increase positive educational and life outcomes for children, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds," he said.

The Federal Government is providing $65.4 million to the South Australian Government over four years to help increase access to preschool and improve quality, accessibility and affordability.

The Australian Government is investing $955 million over four years to the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education, which aims to achieve universal access to a quality early childhood education program in the year before school.

Further information is available at mychild.gov.au.

Minister Ellis media contact: Jayne Stinson 0458 547 512
Minister Weatherill media contact: Bronwyn Hurrell 0400 269 078


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