This week the Federal Government tabled the final report of the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into early childhood education and care (ECEC)
Member for Ballina Ms Tamara Smith MP and NSW Greens Spokesperson for Early education welcomed the report and said that all children deserve the best possible education from early childhood right through to university. For this to happen according to the Report, all governments need to commit to free universal early childhood education and care.
Ms Smith said, “It was reported that one-in-four three-year-olds and one-in-ten four-year-olds are not enrolled in any ECEC partly due to lack of suitable and available options particularly in regional or remote areas.”
“It is heartening to see reflected what early educators have been saying for decades that the biggest change you can make in a child’s life trajectory is invest heavily in years 0-6 years.”
“The inquiry found that in regional and remote Australia, there are many communities with limited or no local early childhood educational services, and I certainly experienced that as a single mum working as a teacher in outback NSW a few decades ago. To think that this is still the case when we know the game changer that early childhood education is not just to a child’s life chances but for broader society is chilling.”
“As long as these inequities continue, we will see regional and rural Australian communities continue to go backwards in important indicators of health and wellbeing and economic success. Highly educated and happy children make for highly successful and happy communities – it is that simple.”
“I welcome in particular the Report recommendation to ensure that at least 30 hours or three days a week of quality ECEC is available for 48 weeks of the year for all children aged 0-5 years.” said Ms Smith
“Having a high-quality universal early childhood education and care system not only improves outcomes for children in regional and rural communities but can also play a critical role in engaging parents in the labour force.”
“The Greens have consistently called for free, universally accessible childcare for decades, and while we recognise and support the recommendations of this critical report, we need action not words from Federal Labor before another generation of children in regional and rural Australia fall through the cracks.”
