The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard today announced the delivery of 500 new Commonwealth supported higher education places in the national priority area of early childhood education.
As promised prior to the last election, the new places for early childhood education students will be available at universities around the country from 2009.
Making the announcement at Deakin University in Melbourne today, the Minister announced that the Rudd Government will also be funding a further 500 places to commence in each of 2010 and 2011.
The 1500 additional places promised by the Rudd Government will help meet the national demand for degree-qualified early childhood education teachers.
The new places are part of the Rudd Government’s $126.6 million package of initiatives to train and retain a high-quality early childhood education and care workforce.
The new places will complement the Government’s commitment to pay up to half the HECS-HELP debts of early childhood teachers working in regional and remote areas, Indigenous communities and areas of high disadvantage.
The university places also complement the Government’s commitment to support around 8000 child care workers to gain a qualification by removing TAFE fees for child care diplomas and advanced diplomas from 2009.
The new places are in a mix of courses that support different education pathways, ranging from two-year courses designed for diploma-qualified child care workers to entry-level four-year courses. This mix will ensure the first graduates from these extra places will be ready to join the workforce in 2011.
A total of 150 of the places are allocated to campuses in regional areas. This will increase the opportunities for students to study in these areas without the need to relocate to a metropolitan campus.
The Government is fully committed to providing the opportunity for all Australian children in the year before formal school to have access to quality early learning programs for 15 hours a week, for a minimum of 40 weeks a year, delivered by degree-qualified teachers.
Places have been allocated to higher education providers delivering courses in the following States and Territories: New South Wales, 190 new places; Victoria, 115 places; Queensland, 75 places; Western Australia, 60 places; South Australia, 15 places; Northern Territory, 30 places and the Australian Capital Territory, 15 places.
A full list of the new places is attached.