By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council is preparing to deliver five hours of free kindergarten per week, for three-year-old children from 2022.
The council’s director of city life, Allison Kenwood, said new funding from the state government would allow Wyndham to introduce the initiative.
“This is great news for Wyndham families who currently need to pay full fees for three-year-old kindergarten,” Ms Kenwood said.
“While three-year-old kindergarten programs are not currently funded by the state government, there has been a commitment to investing almost $5 billion over 10years, to give children two years of funded kindergarten programs.
“This will allow Wyndham families access to five hours of funded three-year-old kindergarten programs in either a sessional kindergarten or a daycare setting.”
Ms Kenwood said the council would work closely with the state government to ensure that Wyndham families received “maximum benefit” when the new funding is rolled out in 2022.
Wyndham councillor Josh Gilligan posted on Facebook last month that the first stages of the kindergarten program would assist families in Tarneit, Hoppers Crossing and Werribee.
The state government also announced last month that it would provide $1.1 million in technology grants to more than 780 kindergartens across Victoria.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said that 15 kindergartens and early childhood centres in his electorate would receive funding to purchase IT equipment to support and improve their learning environment.
Altona MP Jill Hennessy said that 14 kindergartens across her electorate would also receive IT funding.
