South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill is calling on the Commonwealth Government to fund preschool for 3 year-olds and help improving the educational outcomes and future career success of children across the State and the nation.
The States and Territories have commissioned an independent report into early childhood interventions, which is expected to be released soon.
Mr Weatherill has long championed dropping the preschool age from 4years-old to 3 years-old and says that the extra year of early education is known to significantly enhance a child’s development and life long learning and health trajectory.
ThePremier has proposed he lowering of the preschool age to the Council ofAustralian Governments(COAG).
Former Adelaide Thinker in Residence, the late DrFraser Mustard, says that every dollar a Government spends supporting the development of children saves between $4-$8 longer term.
The missing piece of the school funding debate is investment in early learning which has a profound impact on school outcomes.
