The public school system in Tasmania makes an extraordinary difference.

From world-leading scientists and medical professionals to world renowned tradies, artists, and wine makers, public education alumni continue to achieve at home and across the world. I remain passionate about public education because it is democracy in action.

Public schools and their educators work and learn in 'real world' environments. There is no opportunity for discrimination of any form against young people and their families with inclusion rather than exclusion at the forefront of school and college's decision making.

A public-school experience equips young people with the skills to meet the challenges life presents. It is your community where respect is earned. And if you succeed, you thrive because this is a grounding like no other.

Yet, our challenge remains to ensure we improve how education is valued in Tasmanians through shaping a culture of learners, with the widely accepted investment in early years the proven strategy.

To be frank, I don't care if you send your kids to private school, that is your right as a parent or guardian, and I don't judge. However, if you don't have a choice or you choose public like we do, then you are just as important in this conversation.

Tragically, I no longer believe there is a political party in Tasmania who defends public education. Not that long ago, the Liberals taunted Labor about 'hating private schools' and Labor taunted the Liberals about being 'toffees'.

Sadly, it now appears that neither major party represents nor can demonstrate a passionate view about the benefits of public education.

In a ham-fisted attempt at a politically driven solution, the Minister for Education announced a Review into Tasmanian education and appointed the review chair. Without terms of reference.

Let me make this clear, Parliament has decided to review education in Tasmania, and they have absolutely no idea the purpose nor what they are supposed to be looking into. If you want an uneducated response, then this is it writ large. It's retrofitted decision-making with the only objective being political expediency.

And, ironically, for Tasmanian political parties who work tirelessly to avoid the tag of representing minority views, in announcing a review of education, this is exactly what they have done.

Not one principal, educator, or school leader was asked whether the review was a good idea. Almost every corner of Tasmanian education has been poked, prodded, reviewed and reported on during the last 30 years.

A decade on from David Gonski's report, not a single Tasmanian public school or college receives the minimum benchmark funding that governments agreed was necessary to equip them to provide basic education to most students- denying schools and colleges $118 million, equivalent to $2000 per student, each year.

Meanwhile every private and Catholic school in Tasmania receives taxpayer subsidies that reaches, or exceeds, the benchmark level with revenue from school fees and other sources an annual bonus.

Year 12 attainment rates, as reported by the Productivity Commission are widely misunderstood and miscompared.

I would welcome an independent review into the cost effectiveness of the Rockliff-engineered year 11 and 12 extension of schools in urban areas already well served by colleges.

In Tasmania's case, only students who receive the Tasmanian Certificate of Education are reported to the Commission as having "attained".

Students who achieve the Tasmanian Certificate of Educational Attainment and other certification pathways are not counted. In other states and territories, they are.

Everyone agrees that we want more students to achieve to year 12 and beyond, and no one is more vested in student achievement than teachers, principals, and support staff.

The state government commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in 2016 to review years 9 to 12 in Tasmania, which included a focus on retention and attainment.

A top recommendation of the review was a revamp of the years 9 to 12 curriculum, which has been "paused" because of under-resourcing and lack of staff in the department.

ACER also raised concerns about "external commentators" in Tasmania who were "mismatching" statistics to suit pre-existing views and said it was contributing to "confusion in the public mind" about the quality of the state's education system.

Educators have solutions if Parliament would listen.

Act on advice from serving educators and fix funding, immediately address teacher shortage, expand early intervention and family services, provide additional support for early years literacy, student complexity, and mental health, and then we'll be on a path to more students and families achieving their potential.