PREMIER Jay Weatherill is calling on the Commonwealth Government to fund preschool for three-year-olds to improve the educational outcomes and future career success of children across the state.
The states and territories have commissioned an independent report into early childhood interventions, which is expected to be released soon.
Mr Weatherill has long called for the preschool age to be dropped from four to three.
He claims the extra year of early education is known to significantly enhance a child’s development and lifelong learning and health trajectory.
Mr Weatherill proposed lowering of the preschool age to the Council of Australian Governments.
“Research unequivocally shows that those who fall short of key developmental milestones at five-years-old find these gaps very difficult to close,” Mr Weatherill said.
“By starting preschool a year earlier, we can catch any problems earlier, greatly improving the likelihood of rectifying them.”
