Internal government discussions about shutting down one of the Australian Capital Territory's oldest preschools began months after parents allege they were told not to enrol their children, newly released documents show.
FOI Papers Reveal Closure Discussions
Documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws reveal that ACT government officials started considering the closure of Tharwa Preschool for the 2026 school year in September 2025. At that time, only a single child was enrolled for the upcoming year.
The papers note the proposal was considered "a sensitive community issue". In an email dated September 22, 2025, the ACT enrolment director acknowledged the sensitivity, pointing out that the Education Minister had repeatedly assured the community the site would not close.
The principal of Charles Conder Primary School, which manages the preschool, and the Tuggeranong executive education leader had requested the Tharwa campus be shut due to the lone enrolment.
Parents Allege They Were Discouraged
Several parents have told The Canberra Times they were previously discouraged from enrolling at the Tharwa campus by Education Directorate staff. They claim they were told the preschool would "most likely not be an option" for the following year.
Parents and Citizens association member Bella Gay, who attended the preschool as a child, argued the enrolment drop was predictable. She said the community was not allowed to assist with advertising the preschool in 2025 and observed little promotion from the directorate.
Despite this, released documents state that Tharwa was advertised as part of the ACT public schools' annual enrolment campaign. The directorate claims all schools are promoted equally, with a campaign that included paid social media posts and radio advertisements.
Community Plea and Historical Significance
The potential closure has sparked a strong community response. In one released document, a community member emailed ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry on October 24, 2025 with the subject line "Please don't let this happen!". The email called the closure "a very backward step" and argued that people living outside Canberra's urban boundaries deserve reasonable services.
Tharwa Preschool, located about 30 minutes south of Canberra's CBD, is one of the ACT's oldest educational institutions. It operates from the village's old primary school building, which was established in 1899.
The government's internal email highlighted the financial and educational challenges of running a preschool session for very few children, stating that "the number for a session to be educationally viable is 13 children." The one child enrolled for 2026 was offered a place at Charles Conder preschool instead.
Liberals member for Brindabella Mark Parton said several parents expressed interest in enrolling after he posted on social media in October 2025, suggesting demand existed if the preschool was properly presented as an option.
