By
15 hours per week. Why?
Presumably to allow access to preschoolers one year earlier than the existing scheme.
https://www.education.gov.au/universal-access-early-childhood-education
Snippets:
Universal access ensures that a quality preschool program (also referred to as kindergarten in some states) is available for all children in the year before full-time school
On 3 February 2018, the Government announced a further $440 million for preschool education in 2019. This is in addition to the $428 million announced as part of the 2017-18 Budget to continue support for preschool throughout 2018. This funding will be provided through an extension to National Partnership arrangements.
This will benefit over an estimated 348,000 children in 2019 across all preschool settings, and bring the total Commonwealth investment in preschool to $3.7 billion since 2008.
Universal access ensures that a quality preschool program is available for all children in the year before full-time school. The program is to be delivered by an early childhood teacher that meets National Quality Framework requirements, for 15 hours per week or 600 hours a year, depending on the service type. National Partnership arrangements include a focus on increasing participation by Indigenous, as well as vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
Importantly, it will provide funding certainty for preschools and long day care centres as the government implements school and child care reforms this year.
States and territories are responsible for the provision of preschool, with Commonwealth funding a contribution to 'top up' arrangements and ensure families have nationally consistent access to 15 hours per week, or 600 hours per year, in the year before full-time school. This investment has increased enrolments in preschool, which has grown significantly from an estimated 206 000 in 2008 to nearly 345 000 in 2016.
