NSW-based expert Dr Phil Lambert was appointed on January 31 to work with the Tasmanian education sector on the recommendations made by the Australian Council for Educational Research in its 2016 report.

“Dr Phil Lambert’s role is to facilitate a workshop to discuss an effective approach to implementing recommendations of the Years 9 – 12 Review Report,” an Education Department spokesman said.

“The scope of the facilitated workshop is to consider the structure, governance, scope of work and alignment of outputs required to implement recommendations made in the [report].”

Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney, Dr Lambert was also the general manager of the Australian Curriculum, and said on social media that he was “honoured” by the appointment.

The 2016 ACER review was commissioned by Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff to ‘identify opportunities to improve attendance, retention and attainment outcomes’ in grades 9 to 12 in Tasmania.

In its summary, the report said extending high schools to grade 11 and 12 in an effort to expand the curriculum and improving regional and rural attendance rates was a “resource intensive option that may have low impact”. 

“The online surveys suggest that only 8 per cent of the student respondents in [grades] 9 and 10 plan to remain at their high school in year 11,” the report also said.

The report also noted “a lack of trust and a lack of a shared understanding” around the priorities in school education in Tasmania. 

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Amongst other recommendations, ACER’s report advised updating the state’s curriculum, assessment, reporting and accreditation requirements.

Creating strategies to change the public perception about the importance of schooling was also recommended.

An Education Department spokesman said Dr Lambert would meet with school principals and teachers from state, Catholic and Independent schools, along with representatives from the University of Tasmania, TasTAFE, Skills Tasmania and the Education Department.

Representatives from TASC, the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office, Independent Schools Tasmania, and Tasmanian Secondary Colleges Registered Training Provider would also be part of the workshops.

The spokesman said Dr Lambert would deliver a final report to the Education Department by March 22, and the report would be made available on the department’s website.