The ‘Education State’ slogan not worth the number plate it’s written on

Reading and numeracy continues to stagnate in Victorian schools, according to the 2017 NAPLAN report released on Wednesday, says Shadow Minister for Education Tim Smith.

The part-time Minister for Education James Merlino has spent too much time playing internal Labor Party factional politics and wrecking the CFA, and not enough time improving student outcomes.

Daniel Andrews’ so-called ‘Education State’ has had no overall impact on education outcomes in Victoria, evidenced by no significant improvement in 2017 NAPLAN results.

In reading, year 9 continued a downward trend achieving a mean score below 2008 levels, while the year 7 reading score was essentially the same as it was in 2014.

In numeracy, our students in years 5 and 9 have gone backwards since 2015.

As students move from years 3 to 5 and 7 to 9, Victoria had a below national average gain in reading and numeracy achievement.

Parents should be concerned that while other states are surging ahead, Victoria is falling behind.

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Education Tim Smith:

“For all Labor’s hype and spin the ‘Education State’ has been a flop. Daniel Andrews should stop focusing on slogans and start worrying about student outcomes.

“Daniel Andrews and James Merlino are too distracted by their war with CFA volunteers and students outcomes are being neglected as a result.

“Parents should be concerned that under Daniel Andrews students are not getting the education they deserve.”

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