A record investment of $1.06 billion will be injected into the Tasmanian education and skills sector in the 2008-09 State Budget.

As Premier of Tasmania, I want Tasmania to become a place that is clever, kind and connected.

This is the beginning of a new way forward for Tasmania. Now is the opportunity for new ideas, new approaches and new energy.

It is for these reasons that education is the centrepiece of the 2008-09 State Budget.

This Government recognises that one of the best ways to alleviate poverty and encourage economic growth is to provide Tasmanians with better educational opportunities.

This Budget continues to place emphasis on our three priority areas of early years, literacy and numeracy, and student retention.

But we are also determined to take action to improve educational outcomes for all Tasmanians, especially those who are most in need.

The 2008-09 Education Budget delivers a range of new and continuing education and skills initiatives that will provide increased opportunities to Tasmanian children and families in a growing Tasmanian economy.

David Bartlett MP
Premier of Tasmania
Minister for Education and Skills

New initiatives

• Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap and Community Adult Literacy Coordinators – initiatives to improve literacy and numeracy – $34.8 million
  • Providing individual support for primary school children to improve literacy and numeracy skills.
  • Providing literacy support for adults and families with very low literacy levels.
    
    
• Improving support and resources for Tasmanian Government school children with high and additional needs – $16.8 million
• • An additional 29 teachers to be employed to allow for an extra two hours’ targeted teacher support for each student on the Register of Students with Severe Disabilities.
• • The eligibility threshold for the Register of Students with Severe Disabilities to be broadened to support students with additional needs, including some students whose IQ falls in the range from 50 to 70 and who require educational intervention.
    
    
• Supporting Tasmania’s child carers and improving childcare services – $1 million
• • Recognising existing childcare skills as formal qualifications within the Tasmanian childcare sector.
    
    
• A Tasmanian based foundation to promote and enhance the value of education and learning – $1 million
• • Promoting the value of education and training in theTasmanian community.
    
    
• Redevelop our schools to drive delivery of the Tasmania Tomorrow reforms – $7.8 million
• • Establishing the Tasmanian Academy, Tasmanian Polytechnic and Training Tasmania within the Tasmania Tomorrow framework.
    
    
• Other capital investment projects across the State to redevelop schools and libraries – $61.5 million
• • Improving the state of the department’s buildings.
    
    
• Providing 2,000 new training places through the Skilling Tasmania initiative – $7.2 million
• • Continuing the Government’s drive to improve the skill level of all Tasmanians, including the establishment of the Connect to Work initiative.
    
    
• Funding four new regional Learning and Information Network Centres (LINCs) across regional Tasmania to integrate community learning, libraries and technology access with other government services – $11.3 million
• • Improving access to skills and training opportunities and engaging community members in lifelong learning.
    
    
• Waiving existing international student fees for children of Class 457 visa holders – $200,000
• • Assisting an estimated 30 children in Tasmanian Government schools by providing additional funding to meet the cost of schooling and English as a Second Language support.
    
    
• Purchase of musical instruments for Tasmania’sschools – $200,000
• • Enhancing school music programs.
    
    
• Grants to non-government schools to provide services to their school communities – $12.9 million
  
  
• Refurbishment of existing facilities at many secondary and district high schools around the State – $6 million
  
  
• Capital funding to undertake the exciting redevelopment of education infrastructure in the Bridgewater and Southern Midlands community – $30 million

Continuing initiatives

• Reducing class sizes – continuation of the Government’s $20 million initiative to reduce class sizes for years 2 to 7
  
  
• A new $30 million high school at Kingston to meet the educational needs of the fast-growing Kingborough municipality
  
  
• Skills Development TAFE Tasmania – continuation of the Government’s $9.7 million TAFE Tasmania program to attract and skill up 340 apprentices and trainees in traditional trades
  
  
• Skills for Growth program – continuation of the Government’s $12.6 million program to improve the skills of Tasmanian workers
  
  
• Tasmania: A State of Learning – $9.5 million to continue to improve the post-year 10 education and training opportunities for Tasmanians
  
  
• Launching into Learning – continuation of the $12.6 million initiative to support at-risk young children and their families before they start school
  
  
• Early years literacy – second year of a $835,000 initiative to provide books for parents to read to their children
  
  
• IT infrastructure and business systems – continuation of a $2.4 million four-year program to fund important IT system replacement and upgrades
  
  
• School uniform bursary – continuation of the Government’s increased commitment to assist low income Tasmanians
  
  
• Australian Maritime College – continuation of a $2.8 million four-year initiative to continue programs by the Australian Maritime College to meet the costs of fishing, aquaculture and maritime training