Whittlesea council has committed to addressing demand for kindergartens in key growth areas in response to a predicted shortfall.
At an ordinary council meeting on August 27, councillors passed a motion to support findings from a mid-2013 feasibility study into kindergarten infrastructure in growth areas.
The council will allocate funding from the 2013/14 budget towards concept planning and analysis of possible sites at Creeds Farm and Redding Rise, Epping North, and Vincent Drive and EmblingAvenue, South Morang.
From this year, Whittlesea must accommodate for 15 hours per week, 40 weeks a year of preschool education in accordance with the federal government’s National Partnership on Early Education. This is up from 10.75 hours per week.
From 2016, there will also be a change in ratio in preschools. It is currently one educator for 15 children, and will change to one educator for 11 children.
Whittlesea is rated as one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the country and more kindergartens are needed to accommodate for rapid population growth.
The feasibility study showed there will be a shortfall of kindergarten places in Epping North and SouthMorang from 2014 to 2018.
North ward councillor Nicola Davis said funding would be sought from the Department of Early Education and Childhood and the federal government for the construction of new modular buildings and the relocation of the existing modular buildings.
Cr Davis said her youngest child would be in kindergarten in 2015, and she added that she was personally pleased with the decision to recommend funding.
“Kinder is a crucial part of the educational journey for children,” she said. “ It is very important that parents have the assurance of a place for their children at a local kindergarten.”
The council will lobby for funding in partnership with the Municipal Association of Victoria.
– bfitzgerald@mmpgroup.com.au
