Controversy over the government’s proposal to lower Tasmania’s school starting age is still dividing organisations, four months after the draft Education Act was released.
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Rural Health Tasmania chief executive Robert Waterman claims lowering the compulsory school starting age to four years and six months, as is proposed, could be harmful to a child’s mental health.
However, acting Education Minister Will Hodgman said the change would bring Tasmania in line with other Australian jurisdictions and ensure students had the same learning.
“The reason why we’re doing this is because access to early learning is proven to change lives for the better,” Mr Hodgman said.
“Simply, this will give every Tasmanian child a better education and greater opportunities in life.”
Mr Waterman said there were better ways of improving education than to experiment on children.
“Sound social and emotional development is directly linked to a reduction in bullying, child and adolescent mental illness and improved academic outcomes,” he said.
“Lowering the school starting age will deprive children of the opportunity to develop age appropriate social and emotional skills needed to live happy, healthy lives.
“When something doesn’t work well, the solution is not to do more of what isn’t working at the cost of what does.”
Mr Hodgman said there was significant evidence to show early learning enhanced child development.
