Minister McKim’s promise of more talk will not solve Tasmania’s embarrassing retention rates. Rather, giving students an undisrupted pathway through high school to year 12, as the Liberals are committed to, will make a real and positive difference.
The Liberals’ policy is to extend all Tasmanian high schools to year 12 within a decade of winning office. Our policy is not a still-unwritten discussion paper – it is funded, achievable, and shows genuine commitment to Tasmanian students and our economy.
It is no coincidence that Tasmania has the lowest retention rate of any state in Australia and we are the only state where high schools end at year 10.
It’s encouraging Mr McKim has finally acknowledged that the problem exists, it’s only disappointing that he is carefully avoiding adopting the Liberals’ sensible approach and has opted instead to talk more, and act less.