Work will kick off on pre-Kindergarten facilities at seven public schools across Myall Lakes, with a re-elected NSW Nationals Government to accelerate its $5.8 billion universal pre-Kindergarten program.
The commitment will bring forward $1 billion to commence construction earlier, ensuring the first 500 facilities across NSW are complete within four years.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said this accelerated delivery will fast-track the education of thousands of kids in regional NSW.
“The regions are leading the charge on this major education reform. With six of the seven universal pre-Kindergarten pilot sites and more than half of the first 500 universal pre-Kindergarten schools in regional communities, we’re helping kids from Kempsey to Coonamble take the first steps to a brighter future,” Mr Toole said.
“Universal pre-Kindergarten is an investment in families now and in setting up the next generation for the long-term and it’s great that schools like Chatham Public School will be among the first to roll it out.”
Nationals’ Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said 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 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.
“Under a 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.”
The NSW Nationals are 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.
Myall Lakes schools that will be part of the rollout are:
* Chatham Public School
- Forster Public School
- Hallidays Point Public School
- Krambach Public School
- Taree Public School
- Taree West Public School
- Wingham Public School
