Hundreds of new places will make kindergarten more accessible for Victorian families. Photo: Victorian School Building Authority.
The Victorian Government is expanding the accessibility and affordability of early childhood education in the state by creating new kindergarten places at or near school sites.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn announced that an additional 534 kindergarten places were being created for 2028 across four separate projects.
Coburg North Primary School, Mickleham Primary, Wiyal Primary and Yarram Primary will have new kindergartens opened on their premises or nearby.
Each new Victorian primary school opened since 2021 has a kindergarten on-site or next door, a measure that ensures Victorian children can have an early start to learning near their local school.
“This is about investing in children, families and communities – because every Victorian child deserves the best start to life,” Ms Blandthorn said.
“Building new kinders where families need them most, close to schools, homes and in communities right across Victoria, is vital in our growing state.”
The government said more than 145,000 children and their families were saving up to $2600 a child annually through the Free Kinder scheme, which was available at 97 per cent of kindy programs across the state.
“Through Free Kinder, we’re backing families with real cost-of-living relief – saving families thousands of dollars each year per child,” Ms Blandthorn said.
Victoria’s $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms are aimed at transforming early childhood education by easing cost-of-living pressure, helping children learn and supporting parents and carers in their return to work or study.
The government is also investing billions to build hundreds of kindergartens across the state or expand existing ones, supporting the delivery of 15 hours of three-year-old kindergarten each week by 2029 and up to 30 hours of ”pre-prep” each week by 2036.
