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WA Labor promises to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations

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Children can currently access 15 hours of free kindy a week in WA. (ABC News: Elise Pianegonda)

In short: 

WA Labor has made a pre-election commitment to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations as part of a $33 million plan.

The trial is promised to start in 2027 across five metropolitan and five regional locations.

What's next?

If successful, it will be rolled out statewide.

WA Labor has promised to trial free full-time kindergarten if re-elected, in what would be a national first.

Costing more than $33 million, the free schooling pilot program for four-year-olds would roll out at 10 locations across the state.

WA Labor promises to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations

There is an even split between metropolitan and regional locations in the trial. (ABC News: Stephen Cavenagh)

It would start in 2027 and gradually be rolled out state wide if successful.

Early Childhood Minister Sabine Winton was unable to say how much the five-day scheme would cost to roll out in full or when that would happen.

She said these details would be worked through in the lead up to the 2027 trial, but estimated the full roll out would take around 10 years.

The success of the trials would be judged by enrolment numbers.

Currently in WA, children can access 15 hours of kindergarten per week and despite being optional, the enrolment rate is 97 per cent.

The pilot kindergartens include five metropolitan areas and five regional sites in the Kimberley, Mid-West, Pilbara, Goldfields-Esperance and Great Southern.

Promise for families

Premier Roger Cook said the promise would give equal benefit to children and parents.

"The current five-day kindy fortnight can be a nightmare for working parents, who are often spending hundreds of dollars a week on childcare to make up the difference," he said.

WA Labor promises to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations

Mr Cook says the promise will help families save money on childcare costs. (ABC News: Ruby Littler)

"It will help to get parents back into the workforce, keeping our economy strong for the future.

"It's good for household budgets, it's good for our kids' education, and it's good for the economy."

Asked how future governments would be able to afford to pay for full-time kindy, Premier Cook said it was about "responsible" budget management.

More buildings needed

Ms Winton told ABC Radio Perth infrastructure would need to be improved further down the track.

"When we're talking about rolling it out statewide this will be a long-term commitment by our government to deliver that and there will be infrastructure requirements," she said,

"In the interim … the 10 sites that will be selected are ones where there's already existing capacity, where there are empty classrooms for those times of the day."

WA Labor promises to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations

Ms Winton says teacher shortages will be an obstacle. (ABC News: James Carmody)

Ms Winton said when the plan is implemented statewide, teacher shortages could be a factor.

"There's no doubt there's a national shortage around the teaching workforce and we in this state have done some around attracting and retaining teachers, particularly in the regional areas," she said.

Young families focus of election promises

Photo shows Young children sitting in green chairs behind a desk.

WA Labor promises to trial free full-time kindergarten at 10 locations

Young families grappling with the cost of living are the focus of policies announced by WA Labor and the Liberals. 

As part of the announcement, Labor has also promised to establish a dedicated Office of Early Childhood Education.

Ms Winton said the office would "support teachers in the pedagogy and curriculum development."

"It's going to make a huge difference for our young learners to get them ready for school, but also to do that important work of a play based early learning program that will have benefits," she said.

Mixed reaction

There was a mixed reaction from those who contacted the ABC, many raising concerns about children's welfare.

"I'm sorry to sound a bit cynical, but I'm pretty sure this is more about votes than what's best for children," Jen said.

"I believe children grow their confidence by having their dependency needs met, by close contact with their parents."

Julie, an early childhood teacher for 42 years, described it as an "awful" idea.

"Take away more play and childhood," she wrote.

But one parent said they were "very pro full-time kindy".

"The [existing] five-day fortnight is really difficult … a huge stress on working mums too."

Another said it would relive pressure on childcare centres, freeing up places for younger children, and "parents will have less financial and work pressure."

The commitment is one of many between WA Labor and Liberals targeting young families ahead of the March 8 election.

Labor has pledged a $136 million dollar package for families with school-aged children if it is re-elected, while the Liberals were spruiking a $110 million early childhood health package.

Victorian Labor previously promised free 30-hour kinder from 2026, but budget papers last year revealed the plan had been delayed to 2036. 

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