One political analyst has described that decision as being the most critical in the term of this Labor-Green government.

Professor Richard Herr, of the University of Tasmania's school of government, said Education Minister Nick McKim and the government were essentially sitting between a rock and a hard place.

He said if the report was accepted in full then school closures could happen in an election year, spelling disaster in the polls, but every day such closures didn't go ahead carried serious budgetary implications.

``This is a very hot issue that they are now trying to an extent to back away from and manage, but in doing so that puts pressure on other parts of the education budget, or even on other departments of government,'' Professor Herr said.

Education Minister Nick McKim, who is also Greens leader, yesterday denied that potential voter punishment would be a factor in assessing whether to accept the report in full.

However, he acknowledged that such a process, if begun in June, could mean schools were closed just before the next state election.

``Ultimately, I make my decisions as Education Minister on what I believe is in the best interests of educating Tasmanian children and Tasmanian people, and those are the things I focus on - not politics,'' Mr McKim said.

Other recommendations of the report would cost the government more money, but Premier Lara Giddings yesterday denied that the budget savings would be a deciding factor.

``My primary aim on education and our schools is around doing the best for our kids,'' she said.

``There are some schools in this state which have 30 per cent occupancy and you've got to ask yourself: is that the best environment for students to be educated within, and whether or not there could be a far better education environment for our children if they were in a larger school with more resources.''

Mr McKim said he would consider every recommendation, related costs and the wider social and economic effects before making a submission to cabinet. He said it would be in cabinet that a whole-of-government policy would be formed.