Middle class families in Darebin are choosing to keep their children at home for an extra year to give them access to kindergarten, said Greens candidate for Batman Alex Bhathal today.
‘Across Darebin, we have families waiting on what are essentially meaningless four year waiting lists for child care places,’ said Ms Bhathal.
‘Parents are choosing to keep their children at home for an extra year to give them access to four year old kindergarten’.
‘Without careful planning, our shortage of kindergarten centres could create another bottleneck in primary school enrolments as schools in Darebin are faced with additional children wanting to enrol in prep classes.’
Ms Bhathal predicts the impacts will start being felt in 2011 and 2012, a result of Rudd’s broken promise on childcare centres.
‘The Greens would provide all children with two years free kindergarten, because the Greens know that two years free kindergarten is essential to giving our children the start they need in life.
‘The system would be publicly funded, staffed with high quality teachers, with enough places for all local children to attend kindergarten when they need to.’
April 28, 2010 | For more information, contact Alex Bhathal 0431 933 546