State backed on schools

Push to build co-ed high

THE Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO) has defended the State Government’s approach to secondary schooling in Hobart, amid pressure to build a new city high school.

The Hobart High Community group, which is lobbying for a new coeducational high school, has released a discussion paper outlining why a new school is needed.

The group’s arguments include that students are travelling long distances across the city to either Taroona High School or Glenorchy’s Cosgrove High School, and that Taroona is overflowing. The group also highlights massive growth of inner-city primary schools.

The State Government has refused to rule in or out a new school for Hobart, despite spending $300,000 on a study.

The Education Department has also refused requests to release the study.

However, TASSO president

Nigel Jones said the State Government had extensively consulted on plans to better use spare capacity in northern suburbs high schools.

“We are really excited about the New Town, Ogilvie, Elizabeth College and Cosgrove scenario, using those facilities first and seeing if they can accommodate the need,” Mr Jones said.

“The department is putting an enormous amount of work into this with all the feeder schools and families of potential students.”

He questioned the need for a new Hobart high school.

“Where on earth are they going to find space to build a new high school in the city at the moment? There is none. It’s all pie in the sky stuff – where is the money coming from?,” Mr Jones said.

Labor education spokesman Josh Willie said there was no reason for the Government to keep the report into a new high school secret.

“It’s clear there is significant parental interest in this issue. The best thing the government could do is to release the report so it can inform public discussion. It’s also the right thing to do, as the report was paid for by taxpayers,” Mr Willie said.