Media Releases

17 Sep 2009 - $252 Million for Kindergartens in Queensland

The Hon Kate Ellis MP

Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth

17 September, 2009

Joint Media Release

$252 million for kindergartens in Queensland

Joint Media Release with The Hon Geoff Wilson MP QLD Minister for Education and Training

The Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth Kate Ellis today announced $252 million to help build a world-class early childhood education system in Queensland.

This significant investment will boost the number of kindergarten hours that eligible Queensland children will receive in the coming years.

As a result of a major initiative by the Bligh Government, up to 240 extra kindergarten services will also be provided.

"Early childhood education is the foundation of the Government's education revolution," Ms Ellis said.

"We know that the quality of learning experiences during the early years of a child's life set the stage for all future learning and development. And that is why we are making this major funding commitment."

Ms Ellis said each state and territory has a different starting point, so will take different approaches to improving early childhood education, such as boosting the number of places, increasing the number of hours or reducing cost.

The QLD Minister for Education and Training, Geoff Wilson said, "We know that a good early education program is critical to a child's future success at school and in life  this is an investment in Queensland's future.

"Only about 15,000 of Queensland's 53,000 kindy-age children participate in a quality early education program delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.

"We want to boost those numbers because taking part in a quality early childhood education program lays strong foundations for future learning.

"The Bligh Government is committed to providing all Queensland children with access to high quality early education before they start school.

"We are committed to working with the federal government to ensure that our youngest Queenslanders get a flying start to education," Mr Wilson said.

The funding follows an agreement between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to implement the Council of Australian Government's National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education.

The National Partnership supports the Government's election commitment that by mid-2013, in the year before they start school all children will have access to 15 hours a week of quality early childhood education for 40 weeks a year, to be delivered by a university-trained early childhood teacher.

"The national partnership will help make kindergarten services more affordable and accessible for families," Ms Ellis said.

"The Rudd Government has committed $970 million over five years to Early Childhood Education through the national partnership. Of this major investment, $955 million will go directly to the states and territories to achieve universal access to early childhood education."

The Rudd Government's Universal Access initiative will also be supported by a range of early childhood reforms, including the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework, which began in July 2009. This framework provides guidance to parents and early childhood educators to support early learning.

The Government has also committed $126.6 million nationally over four years to support the training and retention of more, better qualified early childhood professionals.

"Governments across Australia are working together to create a world-class early childhood education system, so that our children can have the best possible start in life," Ms Ellis said.

Further details on the National Partnership for Early Childhood Education and Universal Access to childhood education can be found on the Early Childhood Policy Agenda page at www.deewr.gov.au



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