A major new report analysing how Australia’s education outcomes rank compared to other countries around the globe has shown Tasmania is trailing behind the rest of the country, and ranks poorly internationally.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 300-page Programme for International Student Assessment report, which compiled results from 2015, showed Tasmania was at the bottom of the nation in maths and science, and had the biggest drop in reading.
One in four Tasmanian students were found to be “low performers” in reading literacy proficiency, and did not have reading and literacy levels to enable them to participate in society. Half of all students in the state did not meet the national proficient standard on reading and literacy.
Tasmania had the lowest average score in Australia for maths literacy performance, and performed lower than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average. Tasmanian students were shown to be one year’s schooling behind students in the ACT for maths literacy performance.
“These sort of results are exactly why we are targeting investment in identified areas to improve our education results, including introducing specialist literacy and numeracy teachers into high schools, and implemented the national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics School Education Strategy 2016-2026,” Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said.
“By replacing a 20-year-old Education Act that no longer reflects contemporary practices and research and lowering the voluntary school starting age we will bring this state into line with other states and territories.”
Australian Education Union Tasmania president Helen Richardson said the results highlighted the need for the state government to fight harder for Tasmania’s full Gonski school funding of $1000 million.
“Will Hodgman says he wants Tasmania to lead the nation in education but PISA shows we have a long way to go so the premier needs to get serious about securing the state’s full Gonski funding from the federal government.
“That is funding principals desperately need to provide more teacher assistants, smaller class sizes, more individual attention for students, and literacy and numeracy programs to meet the needs of all students.
“PISA shows a steady downward trend in student performance and Tasmanian principals report, yet again, that lack of resources is harming student learning.”
