Kindergartens funds welcome relief

Media Statement fromCr Stella Kariofyllidis, Portfolio Cr Social Development

Wednesday 04 May 2011, Moreland City Council

Council has allocated record funds to cater for the rapidly growing number of children going to kindergarten.

Over the next two financial years Council will contribute $2.3m to kindergarten and child care centre improvements and expansions in order to provide Moreland’s next generation with improved facilities and an increased number of kindergarten and child care places.

Last year Council received $1.5m in funding from the State Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) to undertake improvements and expansions at 10 centres. This will provide kindergarten programs in preparation for the introduction of 15 hours of kindergarten in 2013 and an additional 292 places.

Currently we have 1933 four year old kindergarten places including a new temporary kindergarten in Gowanbrae.  The Gowanbrae Community and Children’s Centre that Council is building at a cost of $4m will be opened later this year.

This year all children were offered a place, however it may have not been necessarily their first preference especially in the high demand areas such as Fawkner and central Coburg. The extra places to be made available during 2012 and 2013 will assist families but we are also expecting further increased demand due to the increasing birth rates. 

We are currently receiving enrolments for 2012, which means we will have further demand data in the second half of the year.