Electorate News 

Te Rapa Early Education Centre in Hamilton has been awarded $20,000 and is one of ten early childhood education centres across the country to receive grants worth more than $250,000 to either start up or extend their services.

"The Establishment Funding programme will support Te Rapa Early Education Centre to extend their centre. Funding is available to assist community groups with the operational costs associated with becoming a licensed service, for example employing staff and buying equipment.

"Community-based services can apply for funding to extend their buildings, and for up to $1000 worth of additional equipment and resources for each additional child place.

“This years funding allows three community services to expand and seven new services to start up across New Zealand, therefore increasing early childhood education participation and quality for our children.

"The grants announced today are part of the Labour-led government's commitment to a ten-year early childhood education strategic plan to improve quality, boost participation and promote collaboration.

"A key part of the plan is 20 hours of free early childhood education for three and four year olds in teacher-led centres. We know that a child who attends early childhood education has a much better chance of succeeding in school and later in life.”

This is a quarterly allocation, out of a total of $1.2 million available for Establishment Funding grants in the 2007/08 financial year. Applications for the second round of the 2007/08 grants close on 31 October 2007.

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