Labor have finally come to their senses and acknowledged that the Liberal policy to extend all Government schools to Years 11 and 12 is working.
Labor originally opposed this common sense reform, and continued to sit on the fence for years before finally coming clean and declaring their support for it today.
For years this policy has been changing lives and improving education outcomes in communities across Tasmania. This is a fact Labor could no longer ignore, judging by today’s huge backflip.
But it seems Josh Willie is continuing to ignore the increase in apparent retention rates in Government schools which proves our plan to extend public high schools is working.
The fact remains that our extension school policy has seen apparent retention in Tasmanian Government schools rise by nearly 10 per cent to 79.5 (in 2020) since we came to Government, and this is above the national rate for public schools.
The Liberal government will continue to deliver our long-term plan to provide young Tasmanians with every opportunity to complete their senior secondary education through our successful school extension program.
Labor’s begrudging eleventh-hour endorsement is better late than never.
More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff
More Media Releases from the Minister for Education and Training