Within two months of becoming Tasmania's first Greens Education Minister, Nick McKim faced communities around the state protesting against the potential closure of their school.

After almost one year in the job - the anniversary is Sunday - Mr McKim admitted yesterday it had been a challenging year but said he had loved the job and it had been an honour to have the education portfolio.

``It's been a challenging first year but I hope what we are doing currently is laying the groundwork for some meaningful improvements in a range of areas,'' Mr McKim said.

``One thing that I've learned is that within the portfolio, there are things that you can control, in terms of trying to improve educational outcomes in our schools.

``But there are also factors outside the control of any minister for education which influences educational outcomes.''

He has visited almost half of the state's 200 public schools and names some of his achievements for the year as the rollout of the Launching into Learning program to every school, increased provision to support teachers and the introduction of the NAPLAN Toolkit.

Undoubtedly his biggest challenge was a state budget that forced $45.9 million savings in the department, with school closures the recommended way to do it.

``I'm not embarrassed or in any way ashamed with the way that I dealt with that,'' Mr McKim said.

``I said I was engaging in genuine consultation process with schools, and I would argue that the proof is in the pudding that I actually did listen to what people were giving me but not only listened but acted on the feedback people were giving me.''

He said the exact moment he decided to forego the process was on top of a climbing frame chatting to a year 6 student about how the debate was affecting him and his school.

Although he admits the process was wrong Mr McKim said the state now had a School Viability Reference Group report that would guide it on future closures.

The report's three main recommendations were for a review of school catchment areas, enrolment numbers and transport. The first of these is under way.

Mr McKim said these reviews would take time and this was why no schools could be identified for closure until June 2014, not the suggestion that it would be a negative lead-up to the next election.

The move to four terms is causing all families concern over which way it may go and Mr McKim said although he wouldn't pre-empt a decision by the Tasmanian Industrial Commission on the ruling, he was very confident there were strong educational reasons for the change.

He said he was disappointed with the Australian Education Union for refusing a request to alter the award and blames the delay on the union.

Mr McKim said as the VET report was before cabinet now it was up to Premier Lara Giddings to make an announcement on it.

He said the current set-up had to be changed and hopes an announcement would be made soon but doubts it would be before the state budget is revealed on Thursday.

Mr McKim was tightlipped on what may be in it this year and its impact on the department.