One-hundred-and-thirty early childhood education and care services across Canberra have signed on for the rollout of free three-year-old preschool in 2024.
The ACT Government’s biggest investment in the early childhood sector will see Canberra’s three-year-olds eligible for up to 300 hours of free preschool from the start of 2024.
This equates to about one day per week and an average saving of $1,329 per child for families.
But the benefits to Canberrans are far more than just financial. Child learning and development in the years before school are key determinants of future school achievement, social, emotional and health outcomes, and ultimately life opportunities.
Equitable access to quality, play-based early learning is a powerful way to support children’s learning, wellbeing and development, and has life-long benefits.
This is why access to universal quality early childhood education for three-year-old children is a key part of Set up for Success: An Early Childhood Strategy for the ACT.
More than $50 million was provided in this year’s Budget to support three-year-old preschool, with more than 5,000 children across Canberra to be eligible. Those three-year-olds will be catered for across a broad range of early childhood education and care services.
This investment will increase preschool programs delivered through early childhood education and care centres by degree qualified early childhood teachers, giving Canberra’s children the groundwork for a lifetime of learning.
The ACT Government is committed to giving every child a fair start to life. We have long recognised the benefit of investing in quality early childhood education and we will continue to invest in our children and young people’s learning.
The full list of ECEC services taking part in three-year-old preschool in 2024 can be found at www.education.act.gov.au/early-childhood/coming-soon-free-three-year-old-preschool.
This initiative is a commitment of the Parliamentary Agreement of the 10th Legislative Assembly by the ACT Labor-Greens Government.
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr:
“High quality early childhood education plays a critical role in supporting children to learn and thrive.
“The three-year-old preschool measure is not only important for equitable access for Canberrans, but it will also save the average family with a three-year-old preschooler $1,329.
“The ACT Government will always be committed to a strong and well-funded education system.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, Yvette Berry:
“We know that investing in early education provides life-long benefits for our children and sets them up for success.
“I look forward to working with each of the services who are partnering with the ACT Government to roll out this significant reform.
“I can’t wait to see three-year-olds across Canberra making the most of their preschool experience in 2024.”
