By Alesha Capone
The state government has announced $47 million in funding to create thousands of new kindergarten places in Wyndham across the next eight years.
Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt announced the Building Blocks partnership with Wyndham council today, which she described as the first collaboration of its kind with a local council.
Ms Stitt said the partnership would lead to the creation of more than 3600 kindergarten places across Wyndham by 2029.
This first stage of the project includes plans for a two-room modular kindergarten in Point Cook for 2022, and three-room kindergartens in Manor Lakes, Truganina and Werribee West by 2024.
More 1800 kindergarten places, of 15 hours per week, will be created in the first stage of the initiative.
The state government has also agreed to provide funding support for eight other early childhood infrastructure projects across Wyndham between 2025 and 2029, to cater for additional kindergarten spots for local children.
“This new partnership provides greater investment certainty for kindergarten projects and in total will deliver a pipeline of 17 planned new and expanded kindergartens sites in Wyndham to support the roll-out of the landmark kinder reform,” a state government statement said.
Wyndham mayor Adele Hegedich welcomed the state government’s announcement.
“Not only is Wyndham city one of the largest local government areas by population, but we are also one of Australia’s fastest-growing municipalities,” Cr Hegedich said.
“More than 100 babies are born each week in Wyndham, which means we need long-term planning and funding for kindergartens just to keep pace with this ongoing boom.”
Wyndham’s learning city portfolio holder, Cr Jasmine Hill, said: “Research shows that children who experience a quality early childhood education enjoy sustained benefits that continue throughout school and beyond.”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said the state government was proud to be boosting early childhood services in Wyndham.
Altona Jill Hennessy said the $46 million would “go a long way in supporting parents of youngsters in the west to access three-year-old kinder”.
“As a working mum of three children, I know how important being able to access early childhood services are,” Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly said.
“In fast-growing communities like Wyndham, it’s important we keep up with the demand for quality early childhood services, to give our kids the best start in life.”
