Tasmania’s school-based educational outcomes continue to remain poor in relation to other states and territories.Good educational outcomes are fundamental to improving a person’s health and their employment and income opportunities 

Students in our schools face a number of barriers that impact on their ability to fully engage in learning such as: bullying and discrimination; lack of resources and support; and lack of accommodation and transport options.

The State Government has committed to lift retention rates to year 12 to 78% by 2015 (nationally the goal is a 90% retention rate). In order to reach this goal we must ensure that young people do not disengage from education and training earlier than year 10 due to a lack of resources and support.

Poor educational outcomes negatively affect a person’s health, employment and income opportunities. In Tasmania there is a clear relationship between early school leaving and long-term unemployment, low income and disability sickness support.

Tasmania needs to improve its educational outcomes and provide better support for students at risk of disengaging from education

Tasmania’s school-based educational outcomes continue to be poor in relation to other states and territories. The disparity between Tasmania’s educational outcomes and national figures are striking. In 2008, 64.9% of Tasmanian students went on to complete year 12 compared to 74.5% nationally.

What is needed?

To view the Our Island Our Voices statement on education click here.

 

• Investing in evidence-based programs to enable schools to provide supportive school environments.
• Funding a mandatory state-wide program to tackle bullying.
• Improving resource allocation for students with disabilities in mainstream schools
• Allocating funding to implement comprehensive and sequential sexual health and relationships education from K-12 in partnership with government and non-government organisations.