The Turnbull Government’s announcement to extend preschool funding to the end of 2019 leaves preschools around the country waiting for secure funding once again. Without long-term funding certainty, there is no guarantee all children will have access to the essential early learning they need.
“How many years does the early childhood sector have to wait for secure funding? It is impossible for preschools to plan for long-term implementation of programs when they have to lobby the Turnbull Government for funding year after year,” said Correna Haythorpe Federal President of the Australian Education Union.
“Funding uncertainty has made it impossible for educators to plan to meet children’s needs.
“Preschools simply cannot manage enrolments, plan learning programs or invest in staff development and proper workforce planning when they don’t know whether their services will be funded into the next calendar year.
“The evidence is clear. Preschool prepares children for success. Children who attend preschool start schooling with a bigger vocabulary, stronger foundational skills and better learning habits.
“Early childhood education is funded by both federal and state governments. Once again today the Turnbull Government refused to commit its share of the funding beyond 2019. The AEU’s Protect Our Preschools campaign fought hard to secure funding for preschools. We will continue to do so because we must have a national commitment to long-term funding.
“The Turnbull Government must make a long-term commitment to funding 15 hours of preschool for every three-year-old and every four-year-old. Preschool must be free and accessible for all Australian children,” said Haythorpe.
Media Contact: Jessica Kendall 0414 679 857
