NEW Education Minister Lin Thorp has stepped into one of the most challenging roles in this Government.
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She has to deal with unhappy teachers, poor retention rates and low literacy and numeracy levels.
Ms Thorp may also face the unusual possibility she may have to administer legislation she didn't vote for - namely, the roll-back of Tasmania Tomorrow.
The main issues include:
Deep unhappiness with the Tasmania Tomorrow education reforms among teaching staff.
They see the reforms as forcing students into academic and non- academic paths too early, while making the Polytechnic students feel "second class".
Literacy and numeracy rates still too low, even after concerted efforts to improve them.
Tasmanian schools have already felt pressure to spend more time teaching students how to do national tests better.
The problems of a regional population in low socio-economic areas - two factors that go hand- in-hand with poor educational outcomes.
One of the lowest rates of retention of students beyond year 10 in the country.
Tasmania Tomorrow was designed to address it - the numbers aren't in yet.
Above all that, the new minister has to address it in a department that has been under constant change since the early 2000s.
ELs, the Tasmanian Curriculum, the National Curriculum, Tasmania Tomorrow, Learning Services ... all have appeared in the past six years.
Australian Education Union state president Leanne Wright said Ms Thorp's teaching background should help her get up to speed on the issues.
But she said the workload - Ms Thorp is also Minister for Children, and Police and Emergency Management - would not be easy.
"She does sound like she's got a very big job on her hands," Ms Wright said.
Ms Thorp also faces Bass Liberal MHA Michael Ferguson as the Opposition education spokesman. A former teacher, the ambitious Mr Ferguson has also shown he is prepared to work hard to get his message across.