A new kindergarten in Maheno is set to open in May next year to help meet the community's need for high-quality rural early childhood education facility.
For the past 12 months, the Oamaru Kindergarten Association has been investigating options and working with the Ministry of Education in the hopes of trialling a rural kindergarten in Maheno.
Oamaru Kindergarten Association general manager Julie Craig said at present, most rural families travelled to Oamaru so their children could get early childhood education.
There were some parent-operated play groups in Five Forks and Kakanui, but no formal early childhood education facilities between Oamaru and Palmerston.
''We're also aware that there is a number of children that aren't going anywhere and there's also a number that are going to the play groups and that's all,'' she said.
At its October meeting, the Oamaru Kindergarten Association Governance Board voted to proceed to reopen the Maheno Playcentre building, which has sat vacant for about two years, as a kindergarten.
''We just felt that the playcentre, in its day, had been quite successful and ... because the building is vacant, we decided we'd give it a trial and see what happened.''
The proposed new kindergarten was receiving strong support from the local community and the Ministry of Education, which had identified the area of rural North Otago as an area of concern, with low participation in early childhood education.
Its location next to Maheno Primary School would help it develop and support positive transitions from kindergarten to school.
''Of course, we're really keen to work with all of the rural schools,'' Ms Craig said.
The new kindergarten will have a two-year trial. If it is well supported and successful, then it will stay.
''Ideally, we'd like to be there long-term, but it really depends on how well it's supported.''
The refurbished facility will operate with a licence for 20 children, two qualified teachers and one teacher aide.
''We're going to do a little bit of maintenance to the building; not a huge amount because we want to see that it's going to take off and if it takes off after the two years we'll do quite a lot to it,''she said.
Maintenance will include painting, laying new carpet and adding new resources.
It was an exciting new development that would also provide employment opportunities for the region, Ms Craig said.
''We know that children, families and the community will benefit from the rural kindergarten,'' she said.
''We are looking forward to supporting rural areas that have recently been losing important services for children and whanau.''
The kindergarten opening is planned for May 2 next year and enrolments are now open.
A community meeting about the new facility will be held in the new year.
Any families interested in putting their child/children on the waiting list, or more information, can contact the Oamaru Kindergarten Association on 03 434-2422.
