Hundreds of kinders are set to benefit from new and improved outdoor play spaces, plus televisions, laptops and tablets as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s latest kinder grants round.

Member for Werribee Tim Pallas today visited Dr Charles Prouse Memorial Kindergarten, with Wyndham City Council Mayor Peter Maynard and Councillor Henry Barlow, to announce that the Wyndham area will receive 30 grants worth $118,642 to improve facilities and increase capacity at local kinders.

This includes the Dr Charles Prouse Memorial Kindergarten – which is one of 451 Victorian kinders to share in $1.64 million through this year’s Children’s Facilities Capital Program minor grants round.

The Dr Charles Prouse Memorial Kindergarten will receive $9900 for the installation of a fixed sculptured seat in its shared outdoor space, featuring a platypus with the Aboriginal symbol for river by Aboriginal artist Glenn Romanis.

The sculpture will provide an important link to the cultural history of the local Aboriginal peoples that occupied land along the Werribee River, while providing the basis of a meeting place and raising the quality of cultural learning and education at the kinder.

The minor grants program provides infrastructure expansion grants of up to $25,000, to increase the space and capacity of kinders.

It also delivers minor infrastructure refurbishment grants of up to $10,000 to improve the amenity of indoor or outdoor spaces used by children.

Information technology grants of up to $1,500 are available to purchase desktops, laptops, tablets and televisions used for either learning programs or administration use.

The Labor Government is investing a record $123.6 million to build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria to ensure local families can continue to access great local kindergartens, including $10 million targeting growth areas.

Families are set to benefit from the Government’s $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan, which provides strong support in early childhood so kids are ready for kinder and ready for school.

For more information on recipients and the program, go to schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos

“We’re giving our littlest Victorians the best start to life by improving their kinders and their services.”

“We’re delivering unprecedented investment in early childhood services across the state so our children can get the most out of their kinder years.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“These exciting upgrades will give our little residents in Wyndham an even better kindergarten experience.”