Fewer Tasmanian students are staying at school until Year 12 compared to last year, and their results are still not hitting national average benchmarks, according to the latest Productivity Commission data.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Opposition parties have raised the Productivity Commission's government services report to flag concerns with the Liberal performance on public education.
However, Education Minister Roger Jaensch said the data showed progress in critical areas, including education investment, teacher-to-student ratios, and high numbers of children enrolled at preschool.
Concern over education raised
Labor education spokesman Josh Willie said the data showed education was not a priority for the state government.
He highlighted missed NAPLAN targets, persistently low attendance rates and a drop in the percentage of students staying at school until year 12.
"The Liberal Government has been big on rhetoric but very poor on delivery," Mr Willie said.
"Retention rates for secondary students have dropped to just 71.7 per cent, the lowest in the nation outside the NT and well below the national average.
"This figure is nearly back to 2010 levels of 71 per cent, which begs the question, what have the Liberals been doing to improve results?"
Education push for the Greens
Greens education spokesman Vica Bayley said more support was needed for students who struggled in the current school system, and flagged an intention to push education to the top of the election agenda.
"Not only are too many students still leaving school early but educational attainment rates have declined by five per cent in a single year too, and now sit 15 per cent below the national average," Mr Bayley said.
"This backwards slide applies to students from all socio-economic levels, pointing to a wider issue in the school system. This is a serious situation," he said.
"It shouldn't take an election for our education system to get the investment it needs, but if we do head to the polls soon the Greens will be making sure the politicians from both major parties respond to this issue with genuine action."
Government says it will continue to deliver on its outcomes
Mr Jaensch said the report showed improvements, including a rise in attendance levels for Tasmanian schools between 2022 and 2023.
He said reading outcomes in the state's NAPLAN results were comparable with the rest of Australia when regional factors were taken into account.
He added that evidence-based structured literacy was being implemented in all schools.
"We have also established an Independent Outcomes Monitoring Group led by Dr Michelle Bruniges to ensure our reforms are independently measured and reported on," he said.
"I look forward to our Government's vital work continuing to support our students to thrive by providing the best possible education and opportunities."
