Blackwood says funding is urgent

State government funding is urgently needed to build new kindergarten infrastructure in Warragul before it reaches “crisis point”, according to Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood.

Mr Blackwood said closure of Bowen Park Kindergarten at the end of 2017 would place significant pressure on local kindergarten services.

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.

Speaking in state parliament last week, Mr Blackwood said funding was urgently needed to help meet the loss of capacity with the closure of Bowen Park Kinder at the end of the year and cope with the significant increase in the population of Warragul and surrounding areas.

“Baw Baw Shire has four community-based sessional kindergartens in Warragul which are already under pressure with a huge growth in the number of young families moving to the area.

“Bowen Park, one of those community-based facilities supported by Baw Baw Shire, is closing at the end of 2017 and will result in a loss of 52 places increasing stress on kindergarten capacity,” he told parliament.

Mr Blackwood said Warragul was a fantastic place to live and there had been an influx of young families moving to the town.

“This year will also see West Gippsland Hospital deliver more than 1000 babies and with only around 600 four year old kinder places currently available the situation is fast reaching crisis point.

Mr Blackwood said funds had been allocated by Baw Baw Shire and it was not unreasonable to expect the state government to play their part to help address the impending shortfall.

“n partnership with Warragul Primary School, Baw Baw Shire are proposing the delivery of a new co-located kindergarten facility which will offer children access to an integrated service that will ease the transition from kinder to primary education for students.

“This is a perfect site for a new early learning centre, in a central location, with close proximity to the centre of town and ample room at the site to accommodate a new building.

“This model for co-location is already a proven success with the establishment of early learning centres on primary school sites within my electorate at Yarragon Primary School and Drouin Primary School.

“Each of these sites has thrived following the co-location and it makes sense to deliver a new early learning centre at Warragul Primary to enhance the high standard of education currently provided by the dedicated, hard -working teachers and staff.

Mr Blackwood told parliament it was vitally important the state government helped to deliver this early learning infrastructure for Warragul before the already strained kindergarten services reached critical shortfall in capacity.

Mr Blackwood recently met with Shadow Families and Children Minister Georgie Crozier and Trafalgar Primary School representatives to discuss the potential or 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.