Page 1974 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 23 June 2021
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sure that they are not leading us into another. On that note, I commend this motion to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Education—public schools
MR HANSON (Murrumbidgee) (3.51): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) the ACT Government school system is underperforming across key areas:
(i) outcomes for literacy and numeracy in ACT Government schools have been consistently identified as underperforming by reports from multiple highly regarded research institutions and other bodies in the ACT, nationally, and internationally;
(ii) enduring overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure is widespread in the ACT schools;
(iii) reports of bullying and violence have compromised school culture;
(iv) genuine equity for students is not being achieved; and
(v) governance arrangements across the school system are sub-optimal;
(b) the hard working and dedicated ACT Government school teachers, support and administrative staff who are passionate about achieving the best outcomes for ACT students but who are let down by a chronically underperforming education system; and
(c) the “Bringing out the best in every child—an Education strategy for the ACT” released by the Canberra Liberals and its evaluation and way forward for the issues facing the ACT Government school system; and
(2) calls on the ACT Government to establish an independent review into the ACT Government education system under the terms of reference set out in the Canberra Liberals Education Strategy for the ACT and table this review in the Assembly on the last sitting day of 2022.
I am delighted to be moving this motion today. I do not think it is going to get supported, but, at the end of the day, this is a very important conversation to be having. Every day that we speak about education in the ACT and how we can improve it is a good day. This motion is not going to go well for me, as I understand it, in terms of support, but I am happy to be having this conversation. I intend to be having it, loud and clear, for the next three years.
In its essence, I am calling for the government to establish an independent review into the ACT government education system under the terms of reference set out in the Canberra Liberals’ education strategy for the ACT, and to table that review by the last sitting day of 2022. As members may be aware, last week I released a strategy for the ACT education system. It is called Bringing out the best in every child. I seek leave to table that strategy now.
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