Dawkins signals opposition to school starting age change

Bass Greens MHA Andrea Dawkins said Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff had failed to make a compelling case to lower the compulsory school starting age for Prep from five to four and a half.

It’s the first time the Greens have signalled their position on the issue, joining Labor and early childhood advocates in opposing the plan.

In an opinion piece in The Examiner, Ms Dawkins said there was little evidence to support Mr Rockliff’s claim lowering the school starting age would lead to better outcomes.

Lowering the starting age was amongst a raft of proposed changes announced by Mr Rockliff as part of the government’s move to amend the Tasmanian Education Act. 

The proposed amendments also included lifting the school leaving requirements and adopting a compulsory conciliation process to address non-attendance.

Childrens Commissioner Mark Morrissey supports the proposed amendments to the school starting and leaving ages.

In announcing the plan, Mr Rockliff said the reform was part of a plan to combat the state’s high levels of disadvantage and low educational attainment rates.

But in her opinion piece, Ms Dawkins the proposed changes would disadvantage at risk children.

“The evidence tells us that children at risk of poorer educational outcomes are less likely to be ready for school at the age of five than others,” she said.

“In one study, 52 per cent of children were not ready for school at the age of five.”

Ms Dawkins said she was glad the government’s plan had prompted a “real community conversation” about education, but stressed the Greens would vote against the plan if legislation was moved by the government.  

Labor Education spokeswoman Michelle O’Byrne has called the plan “damaging” and urged the government to do more research before pushing ahead.