Record Investment in Education and Training

25th May, 2017

Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and Training

With the Budget back in balance the Hodgman Liberal Government is giving young Tasmanians every opportunity for a great future by ensuring they get the best possible education.

We have made record investments in education and training since 2014. In the 2017-18 Budget we are Building Tasmania’s Future with a record $6.36 billion investment aimed at improving educational outcomes and creating a job ready generation of young Tasmanians.

This includes:

*       Fulfilling our Gonski pledge over the full six years of the original Gonski agreement. This represents $134 million of state government funding over 6 years.

*       $6.9 million to employ an additional 14.8 FTE professional support staff across our Government schools including speech pathologists, psychologists and social workers, to work with students who might not otherwise reach their full potential at school, which in turn improves their education and employment prospects.

*       Acknowledging student health and wellbeing can impact learning, we are investing $5 million for student re-engagement programs, developing a new $1.6 million Child and Student Wellbeing strategy, investing in more School Health Nurses in District schools, and investing $250 000 in grant funding to Stay ChatTY for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.

*       Developing an education system with more support for students with disability, with ongoing funding of $12 million for the reforms from the Ministerial Taskforce over the forward estimates.

*       Continuing our investment in school infrastructure across the forward estimates –upgrading students’ learning environments and growing the Tasmanian economy with a total school and TasTAFE capital program of $117 million.  We are increasing capital assistance to Non-Government Schools, with an additional contribution of $1.5 million annually for four years.

*       $57 million over four years to implement the new Education Act which will improve education outcomes for all young Tasmanians and assist us to reach our goal of leading the nation in education.

*       Encouraging education and careers in primary industries, we are funding $300 000 for Primary Schools to Primary Industries. This will support the implementation of the Tasmanian Agricultural Education Framework and build pathways and skills for students into primary industries through greater collaboration between industry and the education system

*       Supporting the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra with a grant of $100 000 per year for three years, which will allow them to ensure the orchestra is sustainable into the future

*       $280 000 for research and seed funding for strategies to improve the health and safety of our school Principals.

Education is the key to Building Tasmania’s Future, and is critical to our next generation reaching their full potential. We remain totally committed to changing an education system that for too long has not given our students the best opportunities.