EDUCATION Minister Jeremy Rockliff says the government’s policy to extend schools to year 12 received ‘‘overwhelming interest’’ and that’s why it is now open to all Tasmanian schools.
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Labor education spokeswoman Michelle O’Byrne has accused the government of ‘‘back-flipping’’ on the policy, which in some cases would involve working with colleges rather than extending all schools.
Mr Rockliff has written to all schools inviting them to extend from 2017, and said the government was now exploring a model where high schools form coalitions with colleges to boost completion.
Ms O’Byrne said Mr Rockliff was generating thought bubbles.
‘‘We know that enrolments for grade 11 and 12 in regional schools next year is not good, so the government has come up with another plan,’’ Ms O’Byrne said.
She said that the ‘‘poorly thought through policy’’ would never have worked without destroying the college system.
But Mr Rockliff told Parliament on Thursday that he ‘‘absolutely believes’’ the program was working.
‘‘We have more schools embracing it and we are ahead of schedule,’’ Mr Rockliff said.
‘‘It is true we had previously planned for only rural and regional schools to go to year 12 in the first tranche but because of the overwhelming interest we are now opening it up to all schools earlier and unashamedly speeding up the process.’’
