A number of new initiatives in Queensland's early childhood education sector have been announced.
The Queensland Government will establish an additional 240 kindergarten services by 2014 as part of an initiative to provide all Queensland children with access to high-quality early education before they start school.
The Queensland Government project will be delivered in partnership with the Australian Government over the next six years.
The new kindergartens will cater for the 12,000 children not currently accessing any early education or care services in Queensland.
The early childhood education initiative will build on the State Government's successful introduction of the Prep year in 2007.
A new Office for Early Childhood Education and Care will also be established in the Education portfolio to bring together responsibility for early years and child care services in one agency. This new office, to be headed by a Chief Executive Officer, will report directly to the Minister for Education.
The Office will take the lead responsibility for children's early development and will manage the roll-out of the new kindergarten services and support the child care sector.
