Tasmania signs agreement with Federal Government to secure $40m in kinder funding

A new agreement has been signed by the Federal and Tasmanian governments that will deliver an additional $40 million in funding to kindergartens over the next four years, supporting more than 25,000 Tasmanian children.

 

The additional funding, Federal Acting Minister for Education and Youth Stuart Robert explained, will mean every child in Tasmania continues to have the opportunity to attend at least 15 hours of kindergarten a week in the year before they start school.

 

New reforms which focus on improving participation and measuring outcomes are tied to the funding, the Minister continued.

 

Tasmanian Minister for Education, Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said the Commonwealth’s contribution would provide funding certainty for Tasmania’s highly successful Kindergarten model, adding that his Government “looks forward to working with the Commonwealth Government on developing new reforms, which will take account of Tasmania’s already high enrolment and attendance rates for our Kindergarten program.”

 

“The evidence is clear – we know that a child’s early years are the foundation for building the skills needed for lifelong learning, engagement and participation in all aspects of Tasmanian,” Minister Jaensch added.

 

All states and territories have now signed the Preschool Reform Agreement, and the Commonwealth is working with jurisdictions to ensure their plans to implement the reforms are in place, to allow funding to flow.