Annual Report confirms that Tas Tomorrow mess is hurting students

· Education Department Annual Report reveals that the Premier’s bungled Tasmania Tomorrow experiment is clearly affecting students

· The Year 10 to 12 apparent retention rate has fallen

· The number of 15 to 19 year olds not at school or employed is on the rise, as is the daily absenteeism rate

The Department of Education’s Annual Report tabled today confirms in black and white that the Premier’s bungled Tasmania Tomorrow experiment is failing Tasmania’s students.

These 2008-09 numbers are the first figures to include Tasmania Tomorrow, which commenced earlier this year.

The Year 10 to Year 12 apparent retention rate has fallen from 63.7% in 2007-08 to 61.8% in 2008-09.

The percentage of 15 to 19 year olds not employed, not at school and not in fulltime tertiary education has risen, from 9.6% in 2007-08 to 10.8% in 2008-09.

And the daily average absentee rate has increased from 8.31% in 2007-08 to 8.85% in 2008-09, a clear indication that David Bartlett should be focussing on reforming our High Schools where absenteeism is at its worst, and ensuring that children are literate and numerate before leaving Primary School, particularly in light of this year’s NAPLAN results which showed that Tasmanian students were below the national average in 19 out of the 20 indices reported, compared to 13 out of 20 in 2008.

Teachers have shown what they think of the mess Mr Bartlett has made of post year ten education in this State and now the Government’s own figures prove that his ‘big bang’ approach has severely affected student retention.

David Bartlett must finally listen to the people he is meant to serve, put aside his own spin-driven arrogance, and suspend any further implementation of Labor’s Tasmania Tomorrow changes.
Sue Napier MP Shadow Minister for Education