Flexibility needed in '20 kindy' policy

Bob Carr's 20 children per kindergarten class policy is commendable, but not if it disadvantages the interests of the primary school as a whole.

Primary school principals are being directed by the Department to form 20 children per kindergarten class, irrespective of whether it will disadvantage the interests of the other children in the school.

In some instances, schools are being forced to form large composite classes in every other class in the school, to accommodate 20 only in the kindergarten class.

Last year primary school principals proposed class lists to the Department, which they considered to be in the best interest of the school.

The Department, presumably under Bob Carr's direction, overruled schools and directed the "20 kindy" policy be implemented, without any additional resources being provided.

The public education system survives because of the support of parents, both in respect of fundraising and other activities.

To pit parent against parent for the sake of blindly following Government ideology, risks tearing apart the glue that binds public education.

Bob Carr must consider the interests of the school as a whole and allow each school to make a determination on appropriate classes, based on the resources made available to them.

Warren Cross, Wagstaffe