Page 657 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 21 March 1990
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Non-government schools make up about a third of the ACT's education system. Those schools are an important component of our system, with 45 schools enrolling some 20,000 students overall. The Alliance Government will protect the autonomy of non-government schools and will seek to remove any inequitable restrictions on their growth.
The Government is examining the need for a new system of Territory financial grants for non-government schools. Currently per capita recurrent grants to non-government schools are based on Commonwealth grants. The Government believes that a system of territorial grants based on the cost of educating government school students in the ACT would be more appropriate. The Government will publish a number of funding options for public comment and consult interested groups before any new approaches are adopted. I hardly need to point out that the ACT has the highest level of non-government education of any jurisdiction in the country.
In 1989 the ACT was admitted to full membership of the Australian Education Council, the council of State and Commonwealth education Ministers, following the transition to self-government. This Government intends to play a full and influential role on that council. Although the ACT is one of the smallest systems, its quality and the calibre of its staff allow it to make a very significant contribution to the work of the AEC's committees and working parties, as well as to the council itself. The next meeting will be hosted by the Commonwealth Minister and will be held in Canberra before June of this year.
In conclusion, I have outlined the Government's approach to a number of very important issues that have arisen in the ACT schools area, and we have indicated the Government's agenda for this year in addressing them. The Alliance Government is very conscious of the critical role that schooling plays in the creation of future generations and the development of tomorrow's Canberra. The Government has no intention of weakening the first-class system that the city now has. We must ensure, however, that ACT schooling is able to meet the changes and challenges, both economic and social, which will confront us as we enter the last decade of this century. I present the following paper:
Education - Ministerial statement, 21 March 1990
and move:
That the Assembly take note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mr Wood) adjourned.
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