Pre-primary program for five-year-olds set to open in July

22/6/93

More than 700 five-year-old children will soon move into new full-time pre-primary programs across the State.

They will be in addition to the 6,500 five-year-olds (about a third of the population) who started full-time pre-primary classes earlier this year.

Education Minister Norman Moore said today that phase two of the optional 1993 program was on schedule to open at 18 extra schools across the State for semester two, which started on July 26.

Mr Moore said the on-site, purpose-built facilities would employ an additional 20 teachers and 14 teacher aides.

Children moving into the full-time program had been attending part-time programs this year, awaiting the opening of the new centres, which were fully enrolled.

The new metropolitan pre-primary centres were to be located at Bassendean Primary School, Bungaree Primary School in Rockingham, Embleton PS, Guildford PS, Hainsworth Primary School in Girrawheen, Kensington PS, Lynwood PS, Safety Bay PS, Thornlie PS, Warriapendi Primary School in Balga, Wanneroo Junior Primary School, Walliston PS, Wattleup PS, and Woodlands PS.

New country centres would be at Adam Road PS in South Bunbury, Mount Helena PS, South Merredin PS and Wongan Hills PS.

"The Ministry of Education will continue to provide programs for four-year-old children now at the part-time centres," Mr Moore said.

"The longer-term options for these children are included in the issues being considered by the Government's full-time pre-primary taskforce - headed by MLC Barbara Scott - which will soon release an issues paper for community comment."

The Minister urged parents to make their views known to the Scott taskforce about pre-primary education for Western Australian children.

"The Government is committed to the continued implementation of the voluntary five-year-old pre-primary program and public input, particularly from parents, is vital," he said.

Media contact: Ross Storey 321 1444 / 222 9595, Barbara Scott 321 4821