COVID-19’s impact on preschools on agenda for MP‘s tour

SHADOW Minister for Early Childhood Learning Jodie Harrison is visiting Far North Coast preschools.

Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Learning, Jodie Harrison, picture with Byron Bay Community Preschool director Bridget Isichei.

THE impact of COVID-19 on early childhood educators is expected to be a key topic when Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Learning, Jodie Harrison, meets with Far North preschools as part of a listening tour this week.

The visit will involve a meeting with members of the Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance and

“The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the complex and problematic way preschools in NSW are funded and structured,” Ms Harrison said.

“This pandemic has placed enormous strain on many community preschools who,

without nearly enough support or guidance from the Berejiklian Government, have

continued to front up to ensure that the children of NSW get those vital early learning

experiences in the years before school.

“Labor called for free preschool to help families get back to work and ease the

financial burden this economic recession has caused.

“I’m visiting preschools on the Far North Coast to listen to educators and teachers in

order to hear their experience and suggestions about how the sector could be

improved.”

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