Tasmania’s school starting age will not be lowered and an additional year of preschool for disadvantaged children will be offered, the government has revealed.
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Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff announced on Monday that the school starting age would remain at five years old, following months of opposition from many stakeholders.
Instead, the government will offer an additional year of preschool for vulnerable or disadvantaged children.
This is set to be offered when the child turns three in partnership with the early childhood education and care sector, starting in 2020.
The program will be paid for through funds previously set aside for the lowering of the school starting age.
The government had planned on lowering the voluntary school starting age to three years and six months for kindergarten students.
“We have always said we will not implement earlier access to prep or kindergarten until we fully understood the social and economic impacts on existing early education and care providers,” Mr Rockliff said.
“An implementation report has now been prepared which provided a deep insight into the early childhood education and care sector.
“Because of this report, the government has made a decision to provide earlier access to play-based learning in a different way.”