Financial assistance for city colleges is needed to ensure their future amid the wake of the extension school policy, the peak body representing state schools has warned.
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Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations president Nigel Jones said the organisation called on the Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff to ensure colleges like Newstead College received funding support.
Windermere independent MLC Ivan Dean questioned the government on the viability of Newstead College amid its roll-out of year 11 and 12 extension during Parliament on March 20.
He said the college had the capacity to provide positions for almost 800 students though enrolments had declined in recent years. Data from the Education Department showed Newstead College had 704 students in 2017 and recorded 639 students in 2018.
Mr Jones said TASSO supported the extension policy when it referred to supporting rural students to attend college, however it has voiced concerns in the past about the impact the policy would have on colleges.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said Census data showed Newstead and other colleges still played an important role in Tasmanian education.
"Last year the mid-Census figures indicated that more than 90 percent of students undertaking years 11 and 12 are doing so at a college," he said.
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Mr Rockliff has always maintained colleges would not be adversely impacted by the extension school policy.
"Our government's clear objective is to promote more opportunities for students to complete Year 12. This could be at a high school, or college or combination of both. It could be through a mixture of vocational or academic courses."
Mr Jones said the government needed to reassure the public that colleges were still going to maintained and adequately supported.
"For colleges near city high schools the government should make sure that colleges have a good selection of subjects and are financially supported, with quality teachers and support staff," he said.
Mr Jones said Newstead College was unique because it was the only college in Launceston that can accommodate students with a disability.
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