Construction begins in NSW's $769 million plan to build 100 new public preschools
Construction has begun on the first projects as part of the NSW government's $769 million plan to build 100 new public preschools by 2027.
Work started today at Cartwright Public School in Sydney's south-west, an area primed to see large population growth in the coming years.
It's one of 25 new preschool sites where construction will begin this year.
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Western Sydney is a key region of focus for the government's program. Nine
Premier Chris Minns visited the Cartwright site and said the benefits would also be economic.
"We know that the best way of ensuring that we can have as high a participation rate in our market, in our economy, is to have access to preschool for parents," he said.
Parents around the state are finding it harder to find appropriate preschooling options for their children.
"In 2023, one in five kids started not developmentally ready, and we know that public preschools like this play a really important role in making sure our kids are ready for learning," Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos said.
Of the 100 new public preschools, 51 will be in metropolitan Sydney and 49 in regional parts of the state.
The Minns government said the allocation of where the preschools will be built is "prioritised in areas of highest need based on a rigorous selection process".
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As part of the measures, the government will also spend more than $29 million for scholarships to increase the number of early childhood workers. Nine
Western Sydney is a key region of focus for the government's radical program, with preschools already under construction in Miller, Blackett, Emerton and Cabramatta West.
Construction on locations in Blacktown, Cecil Hills, Fairfield West, Macquarie Fields and Wetherill Park will begin by the end of the year.
To ease the logistical burden for parents who have kids in primary school and preschool, all of the proposed locations will be within existing primary schools, giving parents the option to send older children to the same location and ending the need to do two pick-ups in the afternoon.
As part of the measures, the government will also spend more than $29 million for scholarships to increase the number of early childhood workers.
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