Hobsons Bay City Council will launch a new central registration portal for Hobsons Bay families to register for three and four-year-old kindergarten.
The Victorian Government will be funding three-year old kindergarten for a minimum of five hours per week in 2022 as a part of the Victorian Government’s $5 billion investment. Kindergarten for three and four-year-olds will now be subsidised.
On 25 January, Hobsons Bay City Council will launch its updated central kinder enrolment portal to allow parents to register for both three and four-year-old kinder. A video, translated into five languages, will be available on Council’s website and social media to guide families through the process.
The three-year-old kindergarten program is the largest social, economic and educational reform in early childhood education in Victoria’s history and will see Victoria become the first state or territory in Australia to introduce funded kindergarten for all eligible children.
It coincides with Council successfully receiving $600,000 in state government funding in December through a Building Blocks Infrastructure grant. The funds will be used to expand the Newport Gardens Early Years Centre to accommodate an extra 33 places for three-year-old kindergarten in 2022.
Kindergarten programs delivered through long day care will need to be applied for through the individual centres.
For details, visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Kindergartens
Quotes attributable to Mayor of Hobsons Bay Cr Jonathon Marsden:
“Studies consistently show that two years of kindergarten is better than one. The research points to better social and cognitive skills, exam performance and emotional outcomes for those who attended kinder for two years and from 2022 all of our youngest minds in Hobsons Bay will have that opportunity.
“Council, together with the state government, will ensure families and children in Hobsons Bay have access to high quality education and care programs. Having the registration process all part of one easy portal will make it accessible and simple for families to sign up.
“As the parent of a three-year-old, I feel strongly about the importance of education in the early years and encourage all parents and carers to register their children for the kindergarten program.”
