Asked last week if the federal government budget cuts to the state would affect further department cuts, Mr McKim said the opposite would occur.

``The federal budget has resulted in an increase of about $16 million for the 2012-13 year in the education sector in Tasmania,'' Mr McKim said.

``So there is a slight increase that's been confirmed in the federal budget for this year's state budget.''

However, he was tight lipped about what exactly would or would not be funded.

Premier Lara Giddings would also not comment at the weekend on the department's budget.

Last year's state budget was a baptism of fire for Mr McKim, the then recently promoted Greens member, who had to preside over the portfolio after it was announced that 20 schools were being considered for closure.

The department's budget of $1.3 billion was cut by $45.9 million, with the savings originally to be made by closing schools, five of which were to be in the North.

It was expected to find a further $56 million in 2012-13, with a total loss of $101.9 million in two years and a forecast cut of almost $200 million over four years.

In the mid-year financial report released in February, the budget papers showed the government was on track to meet its savings strategies for 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Department deputy secretary Andrew Finch said savings had come from a wide range of programs, including reducing the schools class strategies ($8.3 million), deferring building the Bridgewater pool ($3 million) and the Sorell LINC ($3 million) and cutting non-government schools' funding ($2.5 million).

The biggest saving had come from deferring the building of six child and family centres, which saved the government another $11.1 million.