Early planning for new Trafalgar kinder
The possibility of a new kindergarten being built on the Trafalgar Primary School site was flagged during discussions between the school and opposition members of parliament on Friday.
Shadow Families and Children Minister Georgie Crozier and Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood met with school representatives to discuss the potential for an early learning centre hub at Trafalgar.
Mr Blackwood stressed the proposal was only in “very early stages of planning” but there was certainly potential.
He said demand for kindergarten placements would continue to rise in Trafalgar, which has previously been identified as a hot spot and failed to meet growing demand.
Mr Blackwood said the growth of Trafalgar and surrounding areas supported a second kindergarten in the town and the primary school had the land available for an early learning hub.
He said a centre similar to those established at Drouin and Yarragon Primary Schools in recent years would be great for Trafalgar.
“There are already some real (demand) issues in Trafalgar and they will only grow,” he said.
Ms Crozier said a recent attorney-general’s report identified the shortfall in kindergarten facilities across the state, but particularly in growth areas.
“It’s a significant issue,” she said. “There has been little capital investment by this government to keep pace with that growth.”
Mr Blackwood said he also recently signed a letter of support for an early learning centre to be established at Warragul Primary School, which would address placements lost following closure of Bowen Park Kindergarten.
Before the Trafalgar meeting, Ms Crozier and Mr Blackwood met with Willow Grove kindergarten parent representative Leah Mether.
Ms Mether raised concerns about the discrepancy in kindergarten fees between Baw Baw and Latrobe municipalities.
Ms Crozier said families in Baw Baw Shire, under the YMCA cluster management, would be paying $1450 per annum for kindergarten next year, compared to $1060 at Latrobe City kindergartens, which are council managed facilities.
Mr Crozier said Ms Mether raised concerns about the constant increases for kindergarten fees, which in most cases were more expensive than primary school fees.
“Leah’s point was that families are already facing enormous cost of living pressures with rising everyday costs such as electricity.
“Families and businesses are all facing skyrocketing costs and kindergarten is on average $162 per month on top of mortgage and energy bills,” she said.
Mr Blackwood said the disappointing fact was many students were dropping out of kindergarten because families could not afford the fees.
Ms Crozier said a lot of kindergarten costs were already subsidised by the state government.
But, she said kindergarten was important for foundation learning and it was a crucial time for young children in picking up learning difficulties and providing support before their critical learning years.
Ms Crozier said she would be asking the minister what support could be provided to alleviate the increasing costs for families.
Mr Blackwood said YMCA managers had indicated the state government had suggested fees should increase to $1500 per annum.
“So we need to know if the cluster managers are being directed to increase the fees,” he said.