Guaranteed preschool funding call

Issues Guaranteed preschool funding call

A call to lock in five years of Commonwealth funding for guaranteed access to preschool is welcome recognition of the critical role that Early Childhood Education (ECE) has in providing equity of opportunity for all children to get the best start to their education. According to media reports, the Nous Group review of the Universal Access National Partnership for the COAG Education Council has said that short term renewals of preschool funding every year had “adversely” affected the strategy. This created uncertainty for the sector, leading to high staff turnover and hindering preschools' ability to plan and invest effectively. AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said that guaranteeing funding for ECE was an essential step in ensuring children’s school readiness and in providing the foundational knowledge and skills that enabled children to succeed. “Guaranteed funding for our early learning sector is a critically important UnionsWA, in collaboration with key public sector unions in WA and community supporters, has launched The Public Good campaign. It will have a major focus on promoting the important role of public services and the public sector workforce leading up to and beyond the 2021 WA state election. UnionsWA Secretary Meredith Hammat (pictured) said that during the pandemic WA’s health workforce, teachers, cleaners and working people in essential services investment in the future of our children,” she said. “The Universal Access to Preschool program has directly benefited more than two million children and over a million families by providing equity of access and opportunity for all children. “The skills and abilities children develop in preschool lead to stronger academic performance through school and a greater likelihood of undertaking further education.” Ms Haythorpe said preschool also improved cognitive, social and emotional outcomes, and was important in providing a strong foundation for learning. “Yet the Morrison Government has failed to guarantee funding for this program past 2021. This is unacceptable and creates great uncertainty for the sector,” she said. “It is impossible for ECE providers to plan for the future when there is no guarantee of Commonwealth funding from one year to the next. faced risks to keep us safe. “Much of the heavy lifting in the WA government’s budget repair has been done by the majority of our public sector workforce whose pay has not kept up with the rising cost of living,” she said. “The Public Good is also about making sure that public sector workers are valued and fairly rewarded for the work they do.” For more information visit: www.thepublicgood.com.au “The Nous Group preschool funding review for the Education Council highlights the negative consequences of failing to lock in ongoing funding for preschools and for parents. “The Prime Minister has described Early Childhood Education as valuable for the children of essential workers during the COVID-19 shutdown, but he has failed to understand the importance of the role it plays in starting a child’s formal education and for providing continuity and familiarity in these unsettled times. “There are also strong economic arguments for investing in ECE. A recent report by Price Waterhouse Coopers has shown that for every dollar invested in Early Childhood Education, Australia could receive two dollars back through higher tax revenues, higher wages and productivity and lower spending on welfare and criminal justice. “The benefits of a structured early childhood education program for our children are compelling and proven. It’s time for the Morrison Government to make this ongoing

Recognising the public good

commitment for our children and families.”