It has been a busy year for Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff.
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The Education Act and its controversial plan to lower the school starting age, the relocation of the University of Tasmania in Launceston and Burnie, and extending schools to year 12 have dominated news for much of the year.
But not all of these things have passed through the community smoothly, with the Minister facing some backlash for many of the government’s proposals.
The plan to lower the school starting age to four years and six months, and the subsequent announcement that this would not be compulsory, dominated the debate.
As part of this debate, it was decided that a verdict on the lower starting age would be made after a series of consultations looking at how to implement these changes, but with the government already making up its mind on a lower age, it has been questioned what will come out of these consultations.
Mr Rockliff said he welcomed these discussions.
“The government had made a firm decision around the need for an earlier starting age,” he said.
“Sections of the community that were opposed to the change became a lot more vocal and it was up to me as Minister to continue to work with them to allay any fears.
There’s no better way to have an influence and shape the direction of our state, Tasmania, than through education.
- Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff
“The compulsory nature of it was adding to some of that angst and so it was important, at that point, to listen to the community and make the starting age not compulsory.”
When asked if he expected that level of community response to the proposed changes, Mr Rockliff said he was expecting a larger response to extending the age at which students could leave education.
“What I think has been undervalued is, at the other end, the compulsory leaving age,” he said.
“That got far less attention than I thought it would but equally can have enormously positive influences on educational attainment and outcomes.”
With the lower school starting age gaining so much attention, many other reforms in the Act were at risk of becoming overlooked.
A raft of measures, including changes to home schooling students, attendance and adult behaviour standards, were important but gained far less community attention.
Much of the government’s education plans in 2016 looked into early education and engaging pupils, and their families, in learning from a young age.
Mr Rockliff said he was proud to look back at the launch of the Learning in Families Together program, which encouraged parents to work with their children as that child’s first educator before formal schooling.
Looking at the other end of the education spectrum, the relocation of UTAS will see new, modernised campuses moved into the cities.
Funded through a combination of local, state and federal support, the $300 million project divided communities.
Tasmanians have recorded some of the worst educational attainments rates in Australia and by bringing the university into the city, the government believes higher education will be more visible for potential students.
But groups of outraged Launceston residents gathered together throughout the year to argue that, in Launceston, the campus should remain at its current Newnham site and moving it would be a waste of funds.
Despite the concerns of these highly vocal groups, Mr Rockliff said the change would transform the cities.
“Bringing our universities closer to the vibrancy of the centre of respective cities is a really great thing to do, it makes education and higher education more visible, and that visibility will really be a beacon for a pathway,” he said.
“Modern infrastructure is very important and the existing infrastructure has served us well, but it also requires significant investment to upgrade that infrastructure.
“Bringing the university into the heart of the city is a very worthy investment.”
Looking at high schools, the government has now extended 12 high schools to include years 11 and 12 in regional areas, with a further 26 to be extended by 2018.
Concerns have been expressed over the impacts this would have on the state’s college system and if these institutions will begin to see a decline in enrolments as more students stay in their local regions to complete pre-tertiary education.
Mr Rockliff was adamant that the change would not impact overall college numbers.
“It’s about all students completing year 12 and all students having that option of staying at their own high school or going to a college environment,” he said.
“We’re not cutting the same size pie into smaller pieces, we’re growing the pie.
“More students will participate in years 11 and 12 so there will be more opportunity and choice for those students.”
Looking forward to next year, Mr Rockliff said it would be another busy one for education.
He added his thanks to all the schools, colleges, teachers and students for their work throughout 2016.
“Most of the Education Act actually comes into force in July next year, starting and leaving ages are a little later,” he said.
“There’s no better way to have an influence and shape the direction of our state, Tasmania, than through education.
“With all the areas that we’re investing in, in terms of our literacy and numeracy and greater support for schools, my expectation is that we’ll see greater attainment because of that.”