BRISBANE - Queensland is weighing a move to a compulsory prep year for children starting school partly because of the requirements of the new national curriculum.
Prep year is currently optional in Queensland, but there's still a high rate of participation.
Education Minister Geoff Wilson says the Queensland's principals' association is arguing for prep to be made compulsory, especially in light of the requirements of the national curriculum.
"That's one of the suggestions that's come from educators as part of our discussion paper with Queensland," Mr Wilson told ABC radio on Tuesday.
"We've got an open mind to that suggestion, along with many many others that have been put forward by Queenslanders about major reforms we're looking at for education in Queensland."
He said the government would consult widely before making any decision.
"I recognise there are a number of contrary points of view," Mr Wilson said.
He said the national curriculum, due to be taught from prep to Year 10 in Queensland from 2012, had a "more explicit" idea about what should be taught in the prep year.
He said there was an argument that making prep year compulsory would ensure students were better prepared for grade one and beyond.
The contrary argument was that some children may not be sufficiently developed socially or emotionally to cope with a prep year, the minister said.
"We want to make sure we look at all of those angles ... and get the right decision."
-AAP
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