Public preschool to be located at Umina Beach school
A "public preschool" will be located on the grounds of Umina Beach Public School, one of 49 new pre-schools to be built in regional NSW over the next four years.
Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch said: "This is such a fantastic announcement.
"I recently ran an early childhood education survey, which heard from parents who are struggling to access early childhood education and preschool, often waiting extended periods on multiple waitlists.
"It is clear that parents are crying out for spaces on the southern end of the Central Coast.
"Following this survey, I met with Minister for Early Childhood Education Ms Pru Car who shared my concerns with the availability of spaces on the southern end of the Coast.
"Early childhood education and preschool play a fundamental role in the development of our little learners, while allowing parents the economic freedom of returning to work.
"I have heard far too often that parents, particularly mothers, are unable to return to work because they don't have a place for their little one in early childhood education.
"This is unacceptable.
"This announcement highlights that the NSW Government is listening."
Ms Car said: "We made a commitment to build 100 public preschools because we understand the value of public education - and we believe that equity in education starts in the early years.
"Postcodes should not act as a barrier to accessing the best start in life and every child should have access to high quality resources from a young age, including having access to preschool.
"This investment is the biggest investment in public preschools in NSW history, and I am proud that close to half these new preschools will be in the regions."
She said that co-locating public preschools with existing schools would ensure children are ready for kindergarten and help busy working families with cost-of-living pressures, and avoid the double drop off, making the transition to school as seamless as possible.
Sites were selected by a Department of Education panel, overseen by an independent chair and probity advisor, based on multiple assessment criteria.
Late last year the NSW Government announced an initial 10 public preschool sites.
Ms Car said the Government had also committed up to $29.4 million to expand the number of early childhood workers in NSW through a scholarship program, which has seen a record number of applications.
SOURCE:
Media release, 17 Feb 2024
Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford