The Binalong Pre School Centre may just hang on to its identity, after State Member for Goulburn Pru Goward’s $38 million funding initiative, announced yesterday.
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The pre-school has been in the spotlight following the NSW government's early childhood education reductions in three-year-olds, to focus greater on four-year-olds.
Although the Yass Early Childhood Centre Association (YECCA) agreed to support the school, the recent funding is hoped to reduce the pressure from the Yass centre.
“This is great news for the region’s more remote pre-schools such as Binalong, Crookwell and Tarago,” Ms Goward said.
This is the second stream of funding rolling out from the NSW Government in the last few weeks, with a $45.5 million boost being announced to support centres such as YECCA and Montessori two weeks ago.
The initiative includes $16 million over three years to support local partnerships to enhance pre-school participation by indigenous and low income families. $14 million over three years for enhancing the Community Preschools Outreach Grants initiative, and $8 million over four years through the Capital Works Grants Program.
Although the Binalong pre-school is yet to comment on the impacts the recent funding will have on the centre, YECCA’s Director Fiona Nolan said the initial funding was a welcomed gain.
“It’s a small gain for pre-schools in NSW, but we will continue to campaign. All children have the right to affordable high quality early childhood education,” she said.
“I’m unsure what it means for the Yass Valley but we will celebrate all gains, in this instance we will be receiving $7000 and, although there are guidelines, it is welcomed funding."
Ms Goward said that the further $16 million is being targeted toward local partnership initiatives to support the delivery of early education for indigenous children and those from low income families.
“$8 million for capital works will deliver up to 500 new community pre-school places for children in the year before school to be enrolled for 600 hours per year,” Ms Goward continued.
“An additional 223 preschools in regional communities will receive $7000 grants by an enhanced and extended Community Preschools Outreach Grants program.”
“This is a fantastic announcement for regional NSW and it shows that it is a priority for the NSW Government that all children have equal access to preschool programs in the year before school.”
