Classes close as kinders cramped

Erin Pearson
KINDER classes for three-year-olds are under pressure across the region, according to operators.
Torquay and one Geelong kinder have abandoned the classes in 2011, while Barwon Heads could follow their lead as kindergartens struggle to accommodate four-year-old enrolments next year.
Barwon Heads kindergarten coordinator Anissa Yttrup said the kinder had 36 children in four-to-five-year old classes in 2008 and 75 in 2009.
“This is putting a huge strain on our staff, so we’ve had a look at extending as one of our options,” she said.
“We’ve presented several options to council late last year but nobody will actually accept it’s their responsibility.”
Geelong Kindergarten Association said it would also have to “make way” for increasing enrolments of four-year-olds.
Executive officer Janet Park said one Geelong kinder had already closed its door on three-year-olds for 2011.
“Over four and three-year-old kinders in Geelong we’re offering about 2000 places but if other kinders stop their three-year-old classes we’ll have to cater for those numbers, too.”
Liberal candidate for Corangamite Sarah Henderson said the Federal Government’s plans to increase four-year-old kindergarten hours from 10 to 15 a week was “putting the squeeze on resources”.
“Managers of kindergartens are faced with looking at three-year-old kinder classes being bumped, removing a valuable early learning opportunity, to make way for the additional hours of four-year-old kinder pupils.”
But Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Maxine Morand said the Victorian Government had been allocated $211 million in federal funding over the next five years to handle the kinder reforms.