A DEDICATED early childhood educator in Dubbo accepted a cheque for $825,360 yesterday before thanking the state government for acknowledging that the city was an "area of need in NSW" for preschool places.
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Louise Simpson, long-time director of Dubbo and District Preschool, wore an even brighter smile when Dubbo MP Troy Grant came calling with cash.
Director of Dubbo West Preschool Cathryn Albert was by Mrs Simpson's side and ready to accept a cheque for $248,391 from the MP.
The state government has allocated a total of $1.073 million for new infrastructure that will open the door to preschool in Dubbo for a "projected extra 164 children".
Dubbo and District Preschool in Hampden Street is gearing up for talks with Dubbo City Council and Crown land officials in the hope it can build two new classrooms on adjoining Daphne Park
Mrs Albert said Dubbo West Preschool in Baird Drive would build another playroom, making the facility "quite a big preschool once we're finished".
Both directors reported that the funding provided by the NSW Department of Education and Communities would significantly reduce their waiting lists when the new facilities opened in 2015.
Mrs Albert is estimating Dubbo West Preschool's waiting list will drop to under 30 while Mrs Simpson is looking forward to helping more parents waiting in the traditional January queue at Dubbo's longest-established preschool.
"We're probably sitting around 50 to 60 on the waiting list," she said.
It was the queue and conversations with the directors that prompted Mr Grant to tell state Education Minister Adrian Piccoli "how desperate the need was here in Dubbo".
As long ago as 2005 the Daily Liberal was writing about Dubbo and District Preschool's bid to expand into adjoining parkland.
Volunteers and staff of the preschools developed "outstanding" applications for funding, according to Mr Grant.
"This project demonstrates the progress the NSW government is making towards our stated goal of giving all children a preschool education delivered by a qualified teacher in their year before kindergarten," he said.
Mrs Simpson said it was "great that the state government has recognised Dubbo as an area of need in NSW".
"There's children in Dubbo missing out on preschool," she said.
"There's lots of long-day care. There's lots of childcare centres, but people want a choice about preschool education versus long-day care."
Mrs Simpson said preschool provided a "smoother transition into school and life" through education and the identification of problems such as speech and behavioural.
