{"id":64168,"date":"2019-10-18T06:30:41","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T19:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/?p=64168"},"modified":"2019-10-20T09:16:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-19T22:16:19","slug":"kindergarten-investment-to-give-kids-the-best-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/goldenplains\/living\/kindergarten-investment-to-give-kids-the-best-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Kindergarten investment to give kids the best start"},"content":{"rendered":"

SPONSORED CONTENT<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

THE State government is investing almost five-billion dollars over the next decade to deliver fifteen hours of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten<\/a> a week, with the roll-out beginning in 2020.<\/p>\n

This will be available in both sessional (standalone) kindergartens and long day care (childcare) centres.<\/p>\n

This will be the largest social, economic and educational reform\u00a0in early childhood education in Victoria\u2019s history, creating 6,000 new teaching jobs across the state.<\/p>\n

At the moment, kindergarten programs for three-year-olds can cost Victorian families about $5000 a year for 15 hours a week \u2013 while some families see their children miss out completely.<\/p>\n

With the introduction of funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten<\/a>, about a quarter of Victorian families will pay nothing at all in sessional kindergartens.<\/p>\n

For families with a higher income, the state government will cover around two-thirds of their child\u2019s kindergarten costs, consistent with the current subsidy for four-year-old kindergarten. This represents a saving of at least $3500 for families whose children attend a sessional kindergarten service.<\/p>\n

Families with children who go to long day care centres will also benefit, with these services given funding to employ teachers in their three-year-old rooms.<\/p>\n

The\u00a02019-20 Victorian Budget invests $881.6 million in the roll-out, which will give children access to two years of funded kindergarten programs led by a teacher before starting school. It\u2019s part of a $4.1 billion investment in education this year \u2013 from kindergarten programs\u00a0and schools through to higher education and TAFE.<\/p>\n

The budget includes $473.2 million to co-invest in new and expanded kindergarten facilities, when and where they are needed most.<\/p>\n

It also invests $92.4 million to support the early childhood workforce\u00a0through more professional development, mentoring and financial support so children have access to highly trained teachers and educators.<\/p>\n

The roll out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten<\/a> will create 4,000 jobs for bachelor-qualified teachers and 2,000 educators over the next 10 years.<\/p>\n