New Kinder Hub on the way for Morwell

More Kindergarten places will be created for families in Victoria’s Gippsland region, with work beginning on a “one stop shop” for kindergarten, school and family services.

Ground was broken in the region yesterday by Victorian Minister for Education, James Merlino, signifying the commencement of works on a $6.5 million integrated children’s centre, which will be co-located at Morwell Central Primary School.

The new facility, which is to be constructed by SJ Higgins, will deliver early childhood services such as three and four-year-old kindergarten, long day care, Maternal and Child Health services and multipurpose rooms for playgroups and other community activities.

It is hoped by the Minister that having an early learning centre at the school means drop-off will be easier for parents of young children, while also providing greater support for children in their transition from kindergarten to school.

The Victorian Government has contributed $4.9 million to the new centre which is a collaboration that includes the Colman Foundation and early childhood education and care provider, Goodstart, who has also contributed $1.6 million to the build.

The hub is expected to be operational next year, and forms a part of the reforms promised by the Government in the lead up to their 2018 election victory. Over the coming years, the Government has committed to almost 1,000 new and upgraded kindergarten sites.

More than $1.68 billion is to be invested over the next decade to build 785 new kindergartens, and expand 170 existing services, with the facilities being an integral part of the Victorian Government’s $5 billion commitment to deliver a full 15 hours of three-year-old kinder programs to every Victorian child over the next decade, with the rollout beginning in six Local Government Areas in 2020.