A not-for-profit day care provider that operates centres in Dubbo has expressed disappointment after the NSW government announced an additional $115 million over 18 months for early childhood education.
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Starting in 2017, community preschools enrolling children for at least 600 hours in the year before school will receive increased government subsidies.
The move is expected to reduce fees by an average of 30 per cent and allow an 15,000 additional children to receive the benchmark 600 hours of childhood education in the year before school, the government has said.
But just $30 million of the funding is earmarked for long day care, where an estimated 70 per cent of children access their preschool education.
Warren Bright from Goodstart Early Learning, which operates centres on Wheelers Lane, Cobra Street and Baird Drive, told Fairfax Media "we are disappointed that the NSW government has not addressed the serious anomalies in preschool funding that leave most NSW preschool children receiving much less funding than children in Victoria or QLD.”
"Enrolments in [long day care] preschool programs over the past four years have increased significantly while enrolments in state and community preschools have fallen as the long day care setting provides more flexibility for working families.”
But Deputy Premier and Dubbo MP Troy Grant said the funding will benefit local families, and remove nearly all fees for children from Aboriginal and low-income families.
“This is fantastic news for local families with young children,” Mr Grant said.
“This funding boost will deliver the largest single fee reduction in NSW history, making preschool more affordable so that more children will be able to participate in 600 hours – or about 15 hours per week – of early childhood education in community preschools and long day care centres in the year before they start school.
“I know the preschools here in the Dubbo electorate make a big difference to the lives of our children.”
Research has shown at least 600 hours of quality preschool education helps children prepare for primary school, Mr Grant said.
“We want all children in NSW to enjoy the benefits of a quality early education, wherever they live and whatever their background,” he said.
Mr Grant and early childhood education minister Leslie Williams are set to make an announcement regarding funding for regional preschools today.
