The reported cuts to rural community preschools are incredibly concerning for our town and the surrounding communities.
As a parent who attended both Deni Preschool and Gulpa Preschool myself, I know firsthand the value these services bring to our community.
Now, having sent my own daughter through preschool and Gulpa, I can say with absolute confidence that the care, teaching and programming she received played an enormous role in preparing her for school.
She started school ready to learn, confident, independent and equipped with the social and emotional skills that are just as important as the academic ones.
As a local teacher, I find the prospect of these funding cuts incredibly concerning.
We see every day just how important those early years are.
Quality preschool isn't simply childcare or a place to keep children occupied before they start school.
It is the foundation for everything that follows.
It is where children develop the skills, confidence, resilience, curiosity and love of learning that they carry into their formal education.
I worry deeply about what these cuts could mean for the quality of school readiness experiences available to our youngest learners, particularly in rural communities where options are already limited.
If we compromise on qualified educators, staffing, resources and quality programming, it is our children who will ultimately miss out.
The effects don't just disappear when they walk through the gates of primary school.
These preschools have been part of our community for generations.
They have invested in our children, our families and our future.
We should be strengthening these services, not putting their sustainability at risk.
Our rural children deserve the same quality early education and opportunities as children anywhere else.
This shouldn't be something we have to fight to protect.
Please support our local preschools and sign the petition to stop these cuts.
Yours etc.
Jess Aitken
Deniliquin
12°C