Kids Across Hunter get Early Access to One Year Free Preschool

Kids across the Hunter region will have access to free preschool sooner, with a re-elected Perrottet Liberal Government accelerating the rollout of its $5.8 billion one-year free pre-Kindergarten program.

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Liberal candidates across the Hunter welcomed the commitment to bring forward $1 billion to commence construction on the first of the new preschools in the second half of this year, helping parents across the region.

Liberal candidate for Maitland, Michael Cooper, said that giving kids universal access to early schooling will set them on a path to academic and personal success.

“Gillieston and Lochinvar public schools in Maitland will be getting the accelerated delivery of pre-kindergarten,” said Mr Cooper. “As a teacher I know how important early childhood education is for giving kids a leg up, as well as making parents’ lives much easier.”

Liberal candidate for Newcastle, Thomas Triebsees, welcomed the faster roll out of the program at Adamstown and The Junction public schools, as it will have a considerable positive effect on local kids.

“With my daughter having just gone through preschool, I know how important this opportunity is for kids,” Mr Triebsees said. “There are so many studies showing the long-term positive impact of preschool for all children, as they start to really build up their literacy and numeracy skills.”

Liberal candidate for Wallsend, Callum Pull, said great programs like one year of free preschool are only possible under a Government that has the economic management and long term plans that can deliver for the community.

“Beresfield, Glendale, Maryland, Plattsburg, Shortland and Wallsend South public schools will be the Wallsend pilot sites,” said Mr Pull.

“Only a re-elected Perrottet Liberal Government will deliver access to a full year of free, play-based learning in the year before school by 2030 for every single child, as the right to one-year free pre-Kindergarten in the next term of government.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet said this would kick-start learning for tens of thousands of kids across the state, setting them up for future success.

“NSW is leading the nation with our pre-Kindergarten program, which will give every single child access to free, high-quality learning in the year before they start school,” Mr Perrottet said.

“We know there is significant demand for childcare and preschool services across NSW, with many families facing long waitlists or long commutes to the nearest facility.

“That is why we will accelerate the program and get shovels in the ground this year to deliver the first 500 new preschools within four years, making it easier for working parents and getting our kids learning sooner.

“The benefits of this are huge. Not only are we giving our kids a head start in life by kick-starting their early learning, we’re giving more time back to busy parents.”

Treasurer Matt Kean said universal pre-Kindergarten will help grow the economy by setting ours kids up for lifelong financial success.

“Because of our universal pre-kindergarten policy, thousands more children are expected to go to preschool, adding $123,000 on average to their lifetime earnings,” Mr Kean said.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said that she was pleased to be able to unveil the first 500 schools that will have purpose-built infrastructure for universal pre-Kindergarten.

“Universal pre-Kindergarten will require 100,000 places for our youngest learners, and we will deliver 50,000 in the next four years on public school sites alone,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Our experience and capacity to deliver quality school infrastructure means we’ve been able to identify and assess initial sites faster than anticipated.

“Cementing universal pre-Kindergarten as a new part of the education journey for children in NSW will be the first thing on the legislative agenda for a re-elected NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.

“Under a Liberals and Nationals Government families have certainty. Labor’s commitment of 150 ‘new or upgraded’ preschools creates less than 6,000 places - a drop in the ocean compared to the 100,000 our universal pre-Kindergarten plans will deliver. Chris Minns will leave young families with less.”

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is investing more than $15.9 billion in early childhood to deliver a brighter future for every child in NSW.

This includes the introduction of universal pre-Kindergarten, the Brighter Beginnings initiatives, a workforce package for early childhood educators and the Affordable Preschool fee relief.