Giving our kids the best start in life

Kids across Victoria will have everything they need to get the best start in life, with more kinder places, new and upgraded kinders and new language programs, thanks to a funding boost from the Andrews Labor Government.

Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas today visited Creswick & District Preschool to announce the single largest state investment in kinder infrastructure in Victoria’s history.

The Budget provides an additional $17.9 million to give at least 3,000 children attending state-funded kinders the opportunity to learn a language other than English for the very first time.

Learning languages at kinder often result in kids learning the language of their grandparents, as well as inspiring them to take an interest in other cultures. It’s also shown to improve brain function and their English reading and writing skills.

Weekly sessional language programs will be delivered in 120 kinders, with a further 10 services to become bilingual – where children will benefit from up to half their program being offered in another language.

Thousands more children will also be able to attend kindergarten, with almost $43 million to build, upgrade and improve early learning facilities across Victoria, as part of the Victorian Budget 2018/19.

It is part of an overall $60.8 million investment that will help kinders meet the growing demand for kinder places, provide access to the latest technology and ensure kinders are accessible and inclusive for children of all abilities.

This boost will bring this Government’s investment to a record $123.6 million to build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria, funding an additional 8,250 three- and four-year-old kinder places since 2014.

Creswick & District Preschool is one of the many Victorian kinders to have benefitted from previous funding, having received $10,000 to build a mud kitchen, a new play area, as well as compost bins.

This record investment comes as Victorian families continue to benefit from the Labor Government’s landmark $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan, which was announced in last year’s budget.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
"This is more than just new buildings – this is about making sure every child has access to the very best kinder programs, teachers and facilities – so they are ready for school and ready for life."

"We’re making more kinder places available so no child misses out, regardless of where they live."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos
"We are giving more of our youngest kids the chance to learn the language of their yia yias, while helping them prepare for life in an increasingly interconnected world."

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas
"When we said we’d build the Education State, we weren’t kidding."

"The early years are critical – and this is about making sure every child in Victoria has access to the best quality kinders, kinder programs and the best teachers."

"We’re setting them up so that they’re ready for kinder, ready for school and ready for life."