An email from the Secretary of the Department of Education to staff shows that the Liberals' decision to slash the education budget will impact on school funding and staff allocation, with the decision already made to cut half of Tasmania's Principal Network Leaders who provide support to government school principals.
"The Minister is giving with one had under the Gonski banner but clawing money back from public schools with the other hand," Greens Education spokesperson Nick McKim MP said.
"Schools have already been made to take responsibility for funding pathway planning and IT support, and now it seems as if they will have to do so with less funding than they would have been expecting under the Gonski reforms."
"Schools will now have to decide whether to cut extra support for high needs students, excursions, stationary, AV equipment, art supplies, and make do with fewer teachers at the same time."
"It looks like our public schools will bear the brunt of the Liberals' decision to slash education funding."
"Cutting the number of Principal Network Leaders will reduce critical support for principals, who are already under enough stress dealing with smaller budgets that they expected after the Gonski reforms."
"Cutting six PNLS positions means six jobs lost. Only another 260 to go," said Mr McKim.