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Early years funding boost
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Early years funding boost

Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, caught up with Lucy Bradley, Helen Scott (Acting Manager) and Alyssa Ellis at Early Learning Bairnsdale to congratulate staff and students on the recent $11,500 in State funding grants the centre received.

East Gippsland early learning facilities will share in $25,686 in State Government grants, State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, announced today.

“This is great news for East Gippsland families as their children will be able to directly benefit from these upgraded early years services,” Mr Bull said.

Mr Bull said Goodstart Early Learning Bairnsdale had received both a minor capital works grant for $10,000.00 which would be used to build a dividing wall and hand basin and reorganise the kindergarten room and an IT grant of $1,500 which would be used to purchase a touch table for administration purposes.

Other East Gippsland early learning facilities to receive funding were:

  • Lakes Entrance Preschool - $1,500 IT Grant to purchase a Desktop computer
  • Paynesville Kindergarten - $1,500 IT Grant to purchase    4 iPads
  • Save the Children Kindergarten - Nowa Nowa - $10,000.00 Minor Facilities Grant to refurbish a demountable to be used for health service providers and teachers to meet with parents and conduct activities with children in private.
  • Swan Reach & District Kindergarten - $1,186.00    to purchase desktop computers

The Minor grants worth up to $10,000 each will enhance kindergarten programs by improving disability access, building better playgrounds, installing sensory gardens, building bigger playrooms and maximising storage space for centres.

The Information Technology grants worth up to $1,500 each, will supply kindergartens across Victoria with around 200 desktop computers, 150 tablets, 80 laptops, 25 printers and 20 touch tables to better support early years teachers and staff.  

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell, said the grants were crucial to ensuring Victorian early years services can continue to deliver the world class learning programs for Victorian families.

“Victoria already leads the nation in early childhood education and care, and by improving early years facilities and infrastructure, we are making Victoria an even better place for families to raise their children,” Ms Lovell said.

Since December 2010, a record $120 million has been invested in building and upgrading facilities across the state, generating hundreds of jobs in building, construction and related industries.