Tasmania’s education system will undergo an independent review over the coming months after recent data showed some students in the state are struggling at school.
Education Minister Jo Palmer says the review, led by Vicki Baylis and the Department of Education, Children and Young People, will consider the state’s demographics, socio-economic characteristics and the relationship between all levels of education.
“We know there are areas of real concern, we absolutely know that. But we also know there are some real opportunities here,” she said.
“Children learn differently and they have different aspirations. So we are just as excited for our young people who are able to make a decision … If they want to go on to Years 11 and 12, that we make it as easy as we possibly can for them.”
“But it is just as exciting and it is just as big a success story to see the young people who are going into apprenticeships and continuing to learn.”
“The young people who decide that TAFE is a better option for them and that’s where they’re learning.”
Palmer says Baylis will also examine successful approaches in other jurisdictions to help the state government improve the education system for literacy and numeracy outcomes over the next decade.
Australian Education Union (AEU) Tasmania President David Genford said the review needs to rule out any cuts to education in the state budget if it is to be “taken seriously”.
“The Department currently can’t cope with curriculum work, principal support or even paying educators on time,” he said.
“We don’t need a review to tell us that any cuts to the education budget will hurt our kids and increase the workload pressures currently driving teachers out of the profession.”
The Terms of Reference are set to be released in the coming weeks, with the review to be completed and a report provided to the government by the end of 2024.
