4 May 2007

More funding to expand & develop ECE centres

10 Early Childhood Education Centres will benefit from Establishment Funding grants worth nearly $400,000 to either start up or extend their services and centres, says Education Minister Steve Maharey.

"The grants announced today are part of the Labour-led government's commitment to a ten-year ECE strategic plan to improve quality, boost participation and promote collaboration.

"This Establishment Fund worth $394,600 is to help community groups expanding their services to become licensed, to recruit and employ qualified staff and buy quality equipment and resources.

"Community-based services can also get funding to extend their buildings, and can apply for up to $1000 worth of additional equipment and resources.

"We know that quality ECE makes a positive difference to learning outcomes for children, and this funding allows community services to expand and therefore boost participation and quality for our children."

This is a quarterly allocation, out of a total of $1.2 million available for Establishment Funding grants in the 2006/07 financial year.

The recipients of this round are:

- Discovery Early Learning Centre, Kelson Lower Hutt $30,000
- Taokotaianga Apii Kuki Airani Hastings, $30,000
- St Andrew’s Preschool, Te Puke, $30,000
- Southland Kindergarten Association (for a new kindergarten), Invercargill $30,000
- Stokes Valley Community Early Childhood Centre, Hutt City, $30,000
- Te Kupenga Preschool, Blenheim, $30,000
- Waimea Kohanga Reo, Nelson, $30,000
- Waipuna Early Childcare Centre, $6,900
- Wellington Free Kindergarten Association (for a new kindergarten) $15,586
- Waikato Institute of Technology (WINTEC), Hamilton, $13,000

ENDS

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