… WHILE TRASHING KIDS’ CHANCES OF GETTING A JOB
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has urged the State Government to inject some common sense into its $315m jobs package by making sure students do not fall through the cracks and into a life of unemployment.
“Already schools have been forced to increase class sizes and cut back on literacy and numeracy support,’’ Mr Wilkie said. “Cuts like these can have long term and dire impacts on a student’s ability to finish school and get a job.
“Take Montrose Bay High School where the school association is reporting that the cuts to Pathway Planners will lead to students dropping out of school.
“This is a problem for all of the state, especially when it is remembered that the youth unemployment rate in south-east Tasmania is even higher than that being experienced currently in north-west Tasmania.’’
Mr Wilkie said schools were stretched to the limit and could not sustain any further cuts to funding in the State Budget on Thursday.
He welcomed the State Government’s focus on job creation but said it should not come at the expense of the education of Tasmania’s future generations.
Independent Member for Denison Andrew Wilkie
