❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding WACOSS's concerns about the lack of coordination in early childhood programs and proposes establishing an office for early childhood. The Minister acknowledges the issue and indicates future announcements, particularly related to compulsory pre-primary attendance.
AnsweredQoN 664Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS
664. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Western Australian Council of Social Service's
discussion paper on early childhood programs.
(1) Is it the
case, as WACOSS says in that paper, that the early years collaborative project
has stalled because of a lack of leadership by any single department, and that
the recent parent centres proposed by the government reinforce the silo, or
isolated, approach by government to early childhood programs?
(2) Will the government establish an office for early
childhood, as the paper calls for?
664. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Western Australian Council of Social Service's
discussion paper on early childhood programs.
(1) Is it the
case, as WACOSS says in that paper, that the early years collaborative project
has stalled because of a lack of leadership by any single department, and that
the recent parent centres proposed by the government reinforce the silo, or
isolated, approach by government to early childhood programs?
(2) Will the government establish an office for early
childhood, as the paper calls for?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.
(1)–(2)
Yes; I will be having a lot more to say about early childhood after next week
in particular, when I will be introducing a bill for compulsory preprimary
school attendance. I would assume that the opposition will support that. In
terms of the WACOSS recommendations, I will have to make a comment about that
at a later date. Suffice to say, I am very, very conscious of the fact that
there is this notion that a silo approach to any form of educational delivery
is in itself counterproductive. Ideally, we want a situation, as far as early
childhood is concerned, in which every child is provided with an opportunity
for their transition, or seamless transition, into the primary level of
education. I am sure we will have more to discuss and debate with regard to
that issue when we debate the bill next week.
(1)–(2)
Yes; I will be having a lot more to say about early childhood after next week
in particular, when I will be introducing a bill for compulsory preprimary
school attendance. I would assume that the opposition will support that. In
terms of the WACOSS recommendations, I will have to make a comment about that
at a later date. Suffice to say, I am very, very conscious of the fact that
there is this notion that a silo approach to any form of educational delivery
is in itself counterproductive. Ideally, we want a situation, as far as early
childhood is concerned, in which every child is provided with an opportunity
for their transition, or seamless transition, into the primary level of
education. I am sure we will have more to discuss and debate with regard to
that issue when we debate the bill next week.
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