Labor has welcomed the decision for Ogilvie High School and New Town High School to transition to co-education in 2022.
The School Association of each school and the wider schools community are to be commended for their leadership and the hard work that’s gone into achieving this outcome.
Hobart is the only capital city in Australia that does not have a central co-ed public high school so the decision to convert Ogilvie and New Town from single-sex to co-educational is a significant one.
Labor Shadow Education Minister Josh Willie said the change will offer a greatly improved choice for local families.
“These are two very important schools servicing the inner and middle ring suburbs of Hobart as well as parts of the northern suburbs,” Mr Willie said.
“The fact that they’ve been single-sex has meant parents wanting to send their children to a co-ed public school have to travel further afield to Taroona High School or beyond.
“This has caused families inconvenience, disruption and cost and the wider community has also felt the impact of additional commuter traffic.
“It will be a significant benefit for families and the student population of these areas to be able to access a co-educational school much closer to home.
“Labor welcomes the extensive consultation and development process undertaken with school principals, staff, students and school associations to prepare for the transition to co-education in 2022.”
Josh Willie MLC
Shadow Minister for Education
