The Hodgman Liberal Government is taking steps to improve education results by providing voluntary earlier access to Prep and Kindergarten, bringing us into line with the rest of Australia.
Tasmania's education results aren't good enough, and we can't expect to improve by doing more of the same.
Our vital changes will provide all children with voluntarily access to quality, play-based early learning, no matter where they live or their financial background.
Coupled with our change to the leaving age, these changes will fix the current problem where some children can leave school with as much as two years less education than their mainland counterparts.
Labor's opposition to these improvements is political, cynical, and all about their union masters - not the interests of children.
The fact that the opposition continue to oppose our improvements proves that while they have a new leader, it's the same old Labor.
All negative, complaints, and scare - with no positive policies of their own.
*Please note, the changes lower the voluntary starting age for Kindergarten to 3 ½ years and Prep to 4 ½ years. The compulsory school starting age will remain at 5 years.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Education and Training