Page 167 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 April 1992
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MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I have not met people associated with Koomarri this year, although I have at other times visited the school. In a sense I received fairly late notice of the school's complaint. I first heard it, I think, through Mr Moore making a comment and then I got letters from other members or from various other sources. It was not for some little time that I got a direct approach from the school itself. In the meantime, obviously, as soon as I heard the matter had arisen, I made inquiries and it was being examined. I believe that it is fairly substantially settled.
There was a review undertaken last year of staffing at special schools. Part of that review necessitated some reduction, a very minor reduction, in staffing at Koomarri. This year enrolments fell by some 14 students, I think, and that brought a further reduction of staff, inevitably of course because of the decline in enrolments. That is the way the system works. In the end, an apparently significant number of staff were being moved because of the changes. In fact, it was not all that significant because the balance has hardly changed. There is really no change. I think the staff to students ratio last year was 1 to 2.2, and this year it is 1 to 2.3. If you do a little bit of mathematics you will see that the level to which the ratio of staff to students has dropped this year really is not very different from the overall ratio. In other words, Koomarri is very, very heavily staffed.
Mr Moore: But look - - -
MR WOOD: Any decline in student numbers brings about a quite significant decline in teacher numbers. I do not think that was fully appreciated. I do not know what Mr Moore was interjecting. Mr Moore made a public statement about it, but he has not spoken to me or written to me about it. So, presumably he is quite happy with the outcome as well. The matter has been under review during the year and I think some provision has been applied as a transition. I am satisfied that Koomarri continues to be well staffed. It has never been anything else but staffed by very well qualified and dedicated people. Have a look at those figures and I think you will agree with me.
MR CORNWELL: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. I would be interested, Mr Wood, if you would give me a reply to my letter of 10 March relating to this and perhaps explain those facts in more detail so that I can examine your response and Koomarri's letter to me.
Mr Moore: There is a loss of six staff.
MR WOOD: Yes, I will certainly do that. It is in the system and it will be coming out very soon. Mr Moore says that there is a loss of six staff.
Mr Moore: At 2.2 to 2.3, it is a loss of about six staff - that is for about 100 kids.
MR WOOD: That is right. You do your sums on that; it is six staff to 14 students, which is about the ratio at which the school is staffed.
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