PRE-SCHOOLERS IN RECORD NUMBERS UNDER LABOR

Media Release.

 

11 Aug 2013

New figures show the policies of the Federal Labor Government have paved the way for record numbers of Australian children now attending preschool in every state and territory.

Early Childhood and Childcare Minister Kate Ellis today welcomed the national, state and territory preschool data, which shows significant growth in the number of Australian children enrolled in preschool or kindergarten programs in the year before school.

"Nearly nine out of every 10 Australian children were enrolled in preschool in 2012. This is more pre-schoolers than ever before - a total of 266,000 in 2012 which is 60,000 more than in 2008," Minister Ellis said.

"This is a testament to Labor's ongoing commitment to quality education, from the toddler to high-school years, and speaks volumes of our commitment to early childhood education."

"Only Labor initiated a universal access policy for early childhood education and only we were prepared to back that up with a record $1.6 billion investment."

The data, published by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, also shows:

• 56 per cent were enrolled in a preschool for 600 hours in the year before full-time school.

• 82 per cent of indigenous children aged 4 and 5 years were enrolled in preschool.

• Victoria and ACT have 100 per cent enrolment, South Australia 97 per cent, Tasmania and Western Australia 96 per cent, Northern Territory 90 per cent, New South Wales 89 per cent, and Queensland 77 per cent (from just 29 per cent in 2008).

Minister Ellis said the data underlines the impressive progress made by Labor, in partnership with the states and territories, toward universal access to early childhood education.

"The Federal Labor Government is focused on continuing to provide affordable, quality, play-based education programs delivered by degree qualified teachers, that meet the needs of children and parents," Minister Ellis said.

"Earlier this year the Council of Australian Governments agreed on a new National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education, to ensure continuation of the universal access commitment that began in 2008."

There were 167,000 children in the year before full-time school, who were enrolled in a program for 600 or more hours in 2012 147,000 more than in 2008.

The Universal Access target aims to ensure all children have access to 15 hours a week of preschool education in the year before full-time schooling.

"The Rudd Labor Government is working to ensure every Australian child and their family can access early childhood education for 600 hours in the year before full time school," Minister Ellis said.

"This equates to children having access to about 15 hours a week of preschool education for 40 weeks in the year."

"Universal access helps all Australian children receive the best start in life, no matter where they live."

Agreed implementation plans for each state and territory under the new National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education will be published in the coming months.

The universal access data is available at: http://deewr.gov.au/annual-reports-and-evaluation-reports-under-previous-national-partnership-agreement-early-childhood