Report on Government Services: New figures show Tasmania lagging on year 12 attainment rates

Tasmania is close to the bottom of the pack when it comes to a key educational outcome, according to new national figures. See where the state ranks >

New data has shown that Tasmania is lagging behind the rest of the nation when it comes to year 12 attainment rates, with the Opposition saying the state government’s signature school extension policy isn’t “doing what they said it would do”.

As 60,000 students prepare to go back to school this week following the summer break, the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services has found that just 57.6 per cent of Tasmania’s potential year 12 population achieved a year 12 certificate in 2021, falling from 59 per cent in 2020.

The figure was as high as 61 per cent in 2017.

It was the worst result of all states and territories bar the Northern Territory (46.8 per cent) and more than 20 per cent lower than the national average (78.4 per cent).

Education, Children and Youth Minister Roger Jaensch said increasing attainment rates was “one of Tasmania’s big challenges”.

Roger Jaensch is the Minister for Education, Children and Youth. Picture: Linda Higginson

“They’re improving because we’re providing school at year 11 and 12 at places where it didn’t exist before, where young people and their families were needing to relocate or do long commutes from regional areas to attend colleges,” he said.

“So we’re making it accessible for them at their school, where they live.”

However, Labor education spokesman Josh Willie said the government’s policy to extend all of the state’s secondary and district schools to years 11 and 12 hadn’t achieved the outcomes that had been promised.

“It’s not doing what they said it would do,” he said.

“They said it would lift attainment. The attainment rate remains at 58 per cent and our student outcomes across many grades are not lifting in the way that they should be so that all Tasmanians can live a good life.”

Josh Willie MLC Labor member for Elwick. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Australian Education Union state manager Brian Wightman said Tasmania’s per student funding for private schools grew by 31.4 per cent in the eight years to 2021 compared to just 13.4 per cent for public schools.

He linked this to the higher attainment rates among private school students.

“It’s appalling that Tasmanian students from the highest socio-economic backgrounds have a year 12 equivalent attainment rate of 75 per cent while those in the lower socio-economic group have attainment rates of 50 per cent,” he said.

Mr Wightman said the government “must address this injustice and level the playing field”.

Mr Jaensch said Tasmania reported the second highest increase in state government spending on government schools per full-time equivalent employee from 2019-20, recording a 2.6 per cent increase against the national average of 1.9 per cent.

Originally published as Report on Government Services: New figures show Tasmania lagging on year 12 attainment rates