Ensuring every Tasmanian has a good education is a priority for the Hodgman Liberal Government and will be treated as such in this week’s State Budget.
I am pleased to announce that the State Budget will include $17.75 million over four years for a new literacy and numeracy initiative; Learning in Families Together, to be known as LIFT.
LIFT will encourage greater cooperation than ever before between schools, students and their families, and will help to lift the educational outcomes of young Tasmanians in the greatest need.
We firmly believe that good education gives Tasmanians the very best chance at getting a job and living a fulfilling life.
LIFT will focus on children from Kindergarten to Year 2, and will encourage parents, or other guardians, to be actively involved in their child’s learning and ensure young Tasmanians have the very best start in the basics of literacy and numeracy.
The program will be delivered across multiple platforms to offer various means of support to parents and students, giving them the chance to learn together.
It is widely recognised that by having parents or guardians actively engaged and supporting the education of their children we can greatly improve educational outcomes.
The program will work with about 80 school communities where students are struggling most with the basics and are in need of additional literacy and numeracy support, and will complement the work already undertaken by the 25 literacy and numeracy specialists introduced last year.
LIFT will begin in Term 1 next year, and will be rolled-out at schools with the greatest need, in line with the principles of Gonski; to lift education by targeting funding where it is needed most.
By maintaining fiscal discipline we have ensured we can invest in essential services like health and education.
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