Lakes Entrance children are set to enjoy new and upgraded kindergarten facilities from the roll-out of funded threeyear-old kindergarten thanks to the State Government.
On Wednesday, November 6, Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education, Sonya Kilkenny, visited Gippsland Lakes Community Health’s (GLCH) Children’s Centre at Lakes Entrance to announce the Andrews Government is providing a $378,000 grant for the installation of a $448,000 relocatable building, enabling the kindergarten to offer three-year-old kindergarten for the first time, and creating 22 new kindergarten places for East Gippsland children.
As a co-contributor the East Gippsland Shire would be funding $50,000 towards the project.
“We are so proud to be rolling out funded three-year-old kinder in regional Victoria first, giving kids the best start in life,” Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education, Sonya Kilkenny, said.
“I look forward to seeing the impact this investment has in these local communities.”
“Making Victoria the Education State starts with the early years, which is why we’re delivering unprecedented investment in early childhood services, including upgrading facilities and rolling out three-year-old kindergarten.”
Angela Ellis, executive director of the community health and services unit at GLCH said this grant will contribute to the long term health and wellbeing of the local community.
“The importance of education from a young age cannot be underestimated in supporting the long term health and wellbeing of individuals and communities,” she said.
This grant is part of the Children’s Facilities Capital Program (CFCP) Major Grants Program, which is delivering more than $1.1 million worth of upgrades to two local kindergarten services.
In Bairnsdale, Westdale Kindergarten will build a second room, bathroom and kitchen upgrades, staff room and shared playground, thanks to a $732,000 project expected to increase capacity by more than 20 additional places. The State Government is contributing $500,000 through a CFCP grant.
Gippsland Lakes Community Health’s Children’s Centre and Westdale Kindergarten are among Victorian organisations receiving funding to deliver new or upgraded services.
In an Australian first, the Andrews Government is investing nearly $5 billion over the next 10 years to deliver two years of funded kindergarten for all Victorian children.
The State Government is also upgrading infrastructure through a $1.68 billion co-investment with the early childhood sector to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state in preparation for the rollout.
East Gippsland families will enjoy the benefits of three-year-old kindergarten in 2021.
PICTURED: East Gippsland Shire Council mayor, Cr John White, Gippsland Lakes Community Health (GLCH) executive director of the community health and services unit, Angela Ellis, and Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education, Sonya Kilkenny, toured the GLCH’s Children’s Centre on Wednesday, November 6, with the latter announcing the Andrews Government is providing a $378,000 grant for the installation of a $448,000 relocatable building.
