Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh recently announced that two kindergartens in East Gippsland would be included among 27 new kinders statewide to benefit from up to $6.4 million.
Funds will be provided to purchase furniture such as desks and chairs, fixtures like blinds and lamps and equipment such as stoves, dishwashers, play and IT equipment, and medical items.
Swifts Creek P-12 Kindergarten at Flagstaff Campus, run by Uniting Vic/Tas, will receive $100,000 for its one-room kinder, set to deliver 33 places for local children in the new year.
Lakes Entrance Primary School Kindergarten, run by Gippsland Lakes Complete Health, will receive $200,000 for its two-room building, providing opportunities for early learning for another 66 local children.
“Investing in the next generation is good for kids, good for families, good for the community, and good for the economy,” Mr McIntosh said.
“We’re looking forward to the opening of the new Swifts Creek Uniting Kindergarten and this funding will help us make sure we’re ready for day one,” Uniting Vic/Tas senior manager kindergarten, Kristin Kenwell, said.
The Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment Funding Policy is part of the government’s nation-leading work helping kindergartens deliver high-quality early learning facilities right across Victoria.
This funding, delivered on top of the Best Start, Best Life reforms, will support the fit-out of kinders on school sites and on third-party sites.
The Labor Government is investing to build and expand hundreds of kindergartens across the state, supporting the delivery of 15 hours of three-year-old kindergarten each week by 2029 and up to 30 hours of pre-prep each week by 2036.
The nation-leading $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms are transforming early childhood education to help children thrive, save families money and support parents to return to work or study.
