Education certificates and ATAR levels steady in Tassie schools, despite downward trends

The number of Tasmanian students finishing their schooling with an ATAR and education certificate remained steady in 2023, but it’s not all positive. The most popular college courses revealed >>

Luke Turner, Ansa LeGrange, Zac Alnasser, and Imogen Brown of Guilford Young College. Year 12 exams begin this coming week for Tasmanian students. Picture: Linda Higginson

The attainment of education certificates and ATAR scores for Tasmanian Year 12 students has remained relatively steady, according to a new report by the state’s education regulator.

The Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) board tabled its annual report in parliament last week, the first produced after the establishment of the new TASC board in July 2023.

Achievement by Year 12 students of the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) slightly declined in 2023, from 79.7 per cent in 2022 to 79.3 per cent in 2023.

This was also a new low for TCE levels in the past five years, with around 81.2 per cent of Year 12 students receiving their TCE in 2019.

End of school exams scene.

However, the percentage of students receiving their ATAR had gone up from 45.8 per cent to 46.2 per cent in 2023, also the second-highest percentage since 2019 of 46.7 per cent.

The number of Year 12 students enrolled at Tasmanian colleges is also beginning to creep back up to the 2019 high of 4631 — despite plunging to 4223 in 2022 — with a total of 4399 students.

Part of TCE attainment includes a passing grade by Year 11 or 12 students in literacy, numeracy and computer skills standards achieved through different courses.

Literacy and computer skills dropped in 2023 – 91.9 per cent in literacy from 92 per cent the previous year and 86.4 per cent for computer skills compared with 87.1 per cent.

This corresponds with a slight downward trend in the two areas.

Numeracy achievement slightly improved by 0.3 per cent from 92.9 per cent, with standards in this area securing over the past three years.

A total of 64 per cent of senior secondary students also completed a vet unit in 2023.

Education Minister Jo Palmer. Picture: Supplied

Education minister Jo Palmer said the Tasmanian Government was committed to removing barriers to accessing education and had already delivered “significant reforms”.

“This includes extending high schools to years 11 and 12, changing the law to ensure young people stay in education or training until they finish Year 12, attain a Certificate III, or reach the age of 18, and providing more pathways such as VET and apprenticeships,” she said.

“This investment is paying off with 80.2 per cent of 15-19 years old in formal education or training, which is in line with the national average.

“We know there is more work to be done across the upper secondary years and that is why the government is progressing important reforms such as the Youth Jobs Strategy and improvements to Career Education in Schools.

“We also know introducing structured phonics and literacy programs will help us to continue to improve educational outcomes.”

Originally published as Education certificates and ATAR levels steady in Tassie schools, despite downward trends