Page 2726 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 1994
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The other issue I would like to raise is the issue of professional development. This issue has come up since the Appropriation Bill was tabled. Does the Minister still maintain the attitude that teachers should be singled out from all government employees to pay for their own professional development, and to support their own professional development financially; or will he seek to have his department back away from that process, ensuring that the professional development of teachers is seen as part and parcel of our appreciation of what they do, and as part and parcel of the improvement to the education system and their own professional qualifications, recognising, of course, that Canberra teachers are amongst the best qualified in Australia? That is something that we wish to continue. We wish to maintain their interest in their ongoing professional development.
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Heritage and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (4.19): Madam Speaker, with respect to the joint facilities at Nicholls, I did see a copy of a letter that the department sent to the Australian Education Union a little time ago taking on the debate. I understand that the two bodies are talking to each other. Of course, there is a lot of work yet to be done in that local community about the way the schools go.
In regard to professional development, it continues to be under review. I have to say that I was at one of those professional development courses this time last week and there were about 260 teachers there. They seemed to be accommodating to it. Nothing is fixed, but I am not sure that it is regarded as a significant problem.
Mr Moore: You could just make a decision.
MR WOOD: Mr Moore, we are examining the issue. I am not sure that it is the problem that it was presented to be.
MR MOORE (4.20): Mr Wood says, "We are examining the issue". Let him examine the issue. The reality is that teachers, of all members of the Government Service, have been singled out in this particular way for their professional development. It is entirely inappropriate. Mr Wood can make a decision, and that is what I was suggesting.
MR CORNWELL (4.21): Madam Speaker, very briefly, Mr Wood attempted to make out a case for larger schools. I think Mr Moore has adequately answered that matter by stating that we would prefer the optimum size to be as the Commonwealth Schools Commission recommended some years ago, as indeed would the ACT P and C Association, who agree with the committee in this matter. I think it is important, Madam Speaker, that I make this point. Mr Wood quoted non-government schools and the number of students at a number of those schools. I would suggest to members of the Assembly that having large numbers of students is not necessarily the choice of those non-government schools. Indeed, I would think that at the primary level, certainly within the Catholic school area, if additional funding were provided, they would be only too pleased to open more schools in the ACT and thus spread the number of students. It is not from choice that they have these large numbers. It is due, rather, to financial circumstances.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
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