The Federal Minister for Education Simon Birmingham has today given Tasmanians an assurance that our state will be no worse off when it comes to funding for education including rectifying the predicted $14 million shortfall in the current Australian Budget forward estimates.
While there remains a long way to go in negotiating future funding, I had very positive discussions about education funding with the Minister and these assurances are an excellent first step.
I reinforced to Minister Birmingham that the Tasmanian Government would not accept a cent less.
I made a firm case that the potential loss of $14 million was not acceptable, and our Government would continue to fight for what Tasmanians deserve.
Right now, the Tasmanian Government is driving an unprecedented number of evidence-based reforms across every level of education in Tasmania.
Already, we are seeing an enormous positive impact, which deserves the Federal Government’s recognition and support.
Our initiative to extend high schools to Years 11 and 12 has resulted in a 57 per cent increase in enrolments at the first 12 schools to extend.
Our proposed lowering of the voluntary starting age for school will eliminate an inequity in access to quality, play-based, enquiry-led early learning, that has resulted in the worst educational outcomes in the country.
We have been the strongest supporter of Gonski and needs based funding, committing to the full funding for years five and six. I reinforced to the Minister how extremely important the needs based funding model was to Tasmania.
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