Preschool Fees To Be Reduced by 30% in NSW

NSW Premier Mike Baird has announced that preschool fees will be slashed by 30 percent after discovering that parents were not enrolling their kids due to exorbitant costs.

In March, an analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data revealed NSW preschools were the most poorly attended in the country, revealing that only two-thirds of the state’s four and five-year-olds were attending the recommended 15 hours per week, which is below the national average of 86 per cent.

Early childhood experts warned that the state’s children may be left behind.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Baird announced fees across the state would be reduced to an average $22 per day where a child is enrolled to attend a minimum 15 hours per week, in an effort to encourage more parents to enrol their children in their preschool year.

It was revealed in March that about a third of the state’s preschools were charging at least $40 per day.

“Research shows that children who receive a quality early childhood education in the year before starting school are better prepared to transition to school and benefits carry through to adulthood.

“This $115 million funding boost will enable more children to participate in 600 hours “” or about 15 hours per week “” of early childhood education in community preschools and long day care centres,” he said

Early Childhood Education Minister Leslie Williams said the funding boost would also almost remove any fees for lower socio-economic families.

Mr Baird said it was the largest preschool fee reduction in NSW history.

The changes will start on January 1, 2017.

Source: News.com.au