A 6000-signature petition against the optional lowering of the school starting age has been presented to Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff.
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United Voice, the union representing state childcare centres, early childhood educators and parents met with Mr Rockliff on Wednesday over 40 minutes to discuss their concerns.
The government proposes from 2020 to allow children aged four years and six months to start prep and those aged three-and-a-half years to start kindergarten.
United Voice state secretary Jannette Armstrong said disappointingly it appeared the government will not budge on the proposal.
She said early childhood education and childcare services in remote areas faced closure because of the change.
“That means that not only will jobs in that sector be lost but working families in those areas will have fewer options or no option in regards to what they do with their children,” Ms Armstrong said.
“Centres will have to either increase fees or close.”
Launceston parent Hayley Gregson said she feared that schools would be ill-equipped to cater for a younger cohort of students and was concerned about how one-on-one time, toilet training and naps would be addressed.
She said students who started early would potentially be at a different development stage than classmates who started later.
Mr Rockliff said Tasmanian schools had the highest starting age of all the states and that the initiative would be funded with an extra $22 million a year in the education budget.
“Our educational outcomes are lagging behind other states which is why we are embarking on such important reform,” Mr Rockliff said.
“Who could be against choice for parents and providing an opportunity for free education six months earlier and more teachers, teacher aides and classroom facilities?
“Our children have two years less education compared to their mainland counterparts; it’s simply not fair.”