Demand for ECTs and educators in Victoria to remain strong after second year of kindergarten enrolment gains

Jason Roberts

Apr 02, 2023

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For the second consecutive year the state of Victoria has recorded an increase in the number of four and five year old children enrolled in preschool / kindergartens bucking the trend of falling numbers in every other jurisdiction in Australia.

The numbers released by the ABS as part of its Preschool Education series illustrate just how effective state sponsored initiatives to encourage families to enroll their children in an early learning service in the year before have been.

The Victorian Department of Education has been very active in providing incentives to encourage educators and teachers who either already work, or would like to work in Victoria, to meet the increased demand.

With Victoria reporting a total of 96,159 children attending a preschool in 2022, up from 93,798 in 2021 and 90,691 in 2020, it is clear that demand for teachers and educators across the state will remain particularly buoyant in the coming years.

Of particular note in the ABS data is a seven per cent enrolment increase in community run sessional kindergartens, the first such increase in at least the last six years, with the broader sessional kindergarten category that includes Government run services, showing similar gains.

Enrolment in preschool / kindergarten programs delivered in long day care settings fell for the first time across Australia since 2018 as parents likely opted to take advantage of State sponsored free preschool / kindergarten initiatives at the expense of their long day care (LDC) selections.

Demand for teachers and educators across Australia is likely to remain elevated in 2023, with this most recent data raising the prospects of even sharper squeezes in states like Victoria where increasing enrolments drive demand for more team members to educate and care for children in kindergarten settings.

To review the data please visit the ABS website.

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