THE year 2015 could be looked back on as the time when Tasmania's education system had a major revamp.
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Following a year when the government spent a record amount on education and cut 288 jobs in the sector, it seemed the past 12 months were about creating a new way forward for education in Tasmania.
But it has not happened without some fight along the way.
EXTENDING SCHOOLS
TO YEAR 11 AND 12
SIX rural and regional schools have so far added years 11 and 12 as part of state government's $45 million extension plan.
Scottsdale and Smithton high schools offered year 11 subjects this year, while Huonville and Dover District high schools worked in partnership to offer them, as did St Helens and St Marys district high schools.
The government hopes extending schools post year 10 will keep students in school longer and help lift the state's low retention rates.
However, Labor education spokeswoman Michelle O'Byrne has argued the policy is poorly thought through and said it would never work without destroying the college system.
Colleges are being kept under the extension plan.
In June, Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the government was spending $3600 on every student in year 11 at the six regional high schools that have extended, where 204 students were studying year 11 or 12.
At Scottsdale High School, 37 students were enrolled in year 11 at the start of the year, but that dropped to 26 by November.
Seven of Scottsdale's year 11 students undertook pre-tertiary studies.
Mr Rockliff said in November that early results of the policy were positive, with enrolments in years 11 and 12 increasing by an average 38 per cent in the extending schools.
Another six rural and regional schools will offer the additional years in 2016 - Queenstown's Mountain Heights District School, New Norfolk and Glenora District High Schools (in partnership), Campbell Town, Rosebery and Tasman District high schools.
Ulverstone High School was the first urban school to express interest in extending and could do so by 2017.
UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MOVE
A $225 million plan for the University of Tasmania to develop a new campus at Inveresk aims to attract 10,000 extra students to the Northern campus.
It is expected that two-thirds of those students would study associate degrees.
The university unveiled its grand plan to move from Newnham to Inveresk in September, following months of speculation that the Launceston site may close.
Inveresk plans include a new 37,000-square-metre (floor space) building that would house business, education, law, IT, arts and design and architecture programs.
Another 36,000-square-metre building proposed for Willis Street would become the academic precinct for science, technology and health, and also include the university's research arm.
The state government has committed a share of $60 million to the project, however, it is reliant on further investment from all levels of government.
The proposal has been met with hesitation and many questions remain on whether all current courses will be offered at the new campus.
Students are also worried about parking at the proposed new campus.
MALE ELECTED AS
WOMEN'S OFFICER
A FIERY debate followed the election of Launceston man James Ritchie as the Tasmania University Union's Northern women's officer.
Mr Ritchie was elected to the role on April 1, before resigning a week later.
He quit following a week of controversy over the fact that a male was elected to the role.
It was understood that Mr Ritchie had been elected 112 to 88 against a female candidate.
The union has since passed a motion that in the future the role can only be filled by students identifying as women.
The role has not been filed since Mr Ritchie's resignation.
ESCHOOL STAFFING
CUT WORRY
PARENTS of Tasmanian eSchool students won their fight for staffing levels to remain the same for the online program in November.
It was feared eight of the Tasmanian eSchool's 22 staff members would be cut, after Mr Rockliff said in September that the staff quota at the school was excessive.
Two months later, he announced the government had listened to concerns and that staffing levels would remain the same for next year.
"Should registrations exceed predictions a further adjustment may be made," he said.
The eSchool is utilised by students who have autism, have been bullied in their mainstream schools, suffer from any psychological or medical conditions that make it difficult to attend their schools, or attend for travel and distance reasons.
Between 300 and 400 students from kindergarten to year 10 have used eSchool every year since 2012.
Parents had told The Examiner that they were considering moving interstate if staff were cut.
PETER UNDERWOOD CENTRE
OF EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT OPENED
THE Peter Underwood Centre of Educational Attainment was launched in February.
Bearing the name of Tasmania's late Governor, the research centre aims to examine the causes, implications and solutions for challenges in education.
RE-INTRODUCTION OF
SCHOOL NURSES
TEN school nurses were reinstated to schools across the state, as part of the state government returned the School Health Nurse Program.
The school nurses were funded in the 2014-15 budget to the tune of $4.42 million over four years, with a total of 20 full-time equivalents to be employed by July 2017.
The role of the school nurses includes; helping children with mental health, wellbeing, body image and relationships.
TO THE FUTURE
TASMANIA will go into 2016, with a new Department of Education secretary and a new soon to be announced Education Act.
Jenny Gale was appointed to the education secretary role in December.
She has a 37-year career in education.
The consultative draft of the new Education Act is expected to be released in March.
The new year will also see more specialised maths and science trained in Tasmania as part of the state government's specialist teachers initiative.
So, while a lot has changed in education in 2015, it is clear a lot of change is still to come.