National education conference to be held in Perth

3/10/93

A major national education conference focussing on the important early years of school will be held in Perth this week for the first time.

Education Minister Norman Moore said today that about 80 education administrators, teachers, trainers and academics from across Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Britain would attend the 5th National First Years of School conference.

The three-day conference, which would start at the Sheraton Hotel in Perth on Tuesday, was entitled 'Valued! Vital! Vulnerable!' and was the first opportunity for educators in Western Australia to attend a national early childhood conference in their own State.  It would feature international speakers and workshops on related issues.

Mr Moore said the focus would be on what should be done in the education system for children from four to eight years of age.

There were about 93,000 children in this age bracket attending pre-primary or primary classes in this State.

The Minister said the conference had four aims:

·       to examine ways in which young children learned;

·       to share ideas, concerns and experiences and explore future directions;

·       to identify issues that affect the education of young children, and -

·       to make recommendations concerning the course of this area of education in the future.

"Holding the conference in Perth is very timely, because 1993 marks the 100th anniversary of the formal Government education system in WA and the 150th anniversary of the Catholic education system," Mr Moore said.

"Issues such as full-time education for five-year-olds and the optimal starting age for children, likely to be discussed at the conference, are very topical here and I expect to receive the report on pre-primary education from Ms Barbara Scott MLC later this month.

"We cannot overestimate the importance of a child's first years at school.  In these vital years a child's attitude to schooling and self-confidence as a learner are established.  Early learning sets the pattern for life."

Mr Moore said the conference would provide excellent professional development for teachers and others working the K-3 years.

Media contact: Ross Storey 321 1444 222 9595