Reforms to improve Tasmania’s education system are on track with the Legislative Council’s in-principle support to allow access to Prep and Kindergarten 6 months earlier.
These vital changes to the Education Act will ensure all children are provided equitable access to quality, play based early learning, no matter where they live.
As part of their in-principle agreement, the Legislative Council has also agreed to our proposal to develop an Implementation Plan which addresses concerns about the potential impact on the early child care sector and on the Tasmanian families who use these services.
I am confident that this Implementation Plan will satisfy both the community and the Parliament, which means we can now proceed with our plan for education reform to commence in 2020 with certainty, subject to the Bill being read a third time.
Traditional Labor supporters are openly questioning their own party’s motives and even their federal counterparts seem wholly supportive of our idea, with Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development Kate Ellis recently outlining a strong desire to provide national, universal access to early learning.
This is further proof the Hodgman Government is on the right track with majority support of the Tasmanian Parliament.
I want to acknowledge the thoughtful contributions of councillors throughout last week’s sitting.
While there is still much debate to go before the Bill is completed, I am very pleased the Hodgman Government is moving ahead with this historic reform to improve educational outcomes.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
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