Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has announced the Cowra Early Childhood Services (CECS) has been awarded $3.7 million in State Government funding to build a new 60-place community pre-school.
Ms Cooke said the funding has been secured thanks to the Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program, and together with input from CECS, will see an investment of $4 million towards building the new preschool.
“It has been a long road to get to this point, so I’m just so thrilled that all our hard work in advocating for this vital project has finally paid off, and that families in Cowra will soon have access to more preschool places in this community,” Ms Cooke said.
“I’d like to congratulate CECS General Manager Libby Ewing-Jarvie and the entire team, who do such an amazing job each and every day.
“Investments in our preschools are quite literally an investment in our future; we must do everything we can to ensure our youngest learners have access to the best possible start when it comes to their education.
“Securing investments for our preschool-aged children has been a top priority for me personally – and indeed for the Coalition more broadly – over the years, having secured over $4 million in preschool funding for our Cootamundra electorate since I was elected in 2017,” she said.
Ms Cooke said the new facility will create additional preschool places, which will then also open up places at CECS for families looking for long day-care.
“It’s all about providing parents and families with more places in an area of high need, and the new preschool will help ensure families have the chance to utilise both preschool and day-care opportunities here in Cowra,” Ms Cooke said.
Ms Cooke said today’s announcement follows news that Boorowa has been chosen as the site of a new public preschool, one of just 49 locations in regional New South Wales.
“As the local member, ensuring we have access to these services is just so vital. It goes far beyond bricks and mortar; funding like this will literally change the lives of families and improve outcomes for our young ones, for generations to come,” Ms Cooke said.
