Page 3566 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 12 October 1994
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looking for is one that provides appropriate curriculum choices for students within schools. But, even before providing those curriculum choices, it should provide teaching that reaches out to students and teaches the students the subjects, rather than teaches the subjects to the students. When we get that sort of attitude in our schools - it applies in many of our good schools - then we will have a reasonable chance of ensuring appropriate enrolment policies across schools.
MS ELLIS (4.39): Madam Speaker, as the Minister has pointed out, it is vital that we maintain our excellent public school system while providing the community with a genuine range of educational options. Our policies aim to do just that. They support a clear choice of schools, and they support this choice with transport options, where viable, while retaining a strong commitment to the priority enrolment area concepts. Priority enrolment areas for ACT schools have, for many years, helped to ensure that all students have access to an excellent standard of education. In recent years, they have also facilitated the development of strong links within school clusters. These links are increasingly providing a coordinated curriculum from kindergarten to Year 12 and supporting students in their transition between schools in their cluster.
In term 1 this year, the Department of Education and Training established a working party specifically to further examine college enrolment policy and procedures, and to ensure that these would provide the best possible outcomes for students. The working party, which included school, department, union, student and parent representatives, considered information from a number of sources, submissions, demographics, past procedures and issues raised in discussions and debate. The draft policy reflects a continuing commitment to the belief that all schools are part of the ACT public education system and operate within the supportive and equitable framework provided by the ACT Government and the Department of Education and Training.
As the Minister has already mentioned, it is essential that all our schools remain a part of this framework and do not become, as the Opposition would seem to wish, merely a group of quasi-private schools competing, in whatever manner they wish, for student enrolments. While each college and high school in the ACT offers students a quality education program, it is also necessary to recognise that students may choose the course offerings which they consider best meet their needs. These choices may require students to travel outside their priority enrolment areas. The availability of this option is still subject to school capacity and the needs of local priority enrolment area students; but it is an option which, in the ACT, is considered to be a fundamental right. Ms Szuty seems less concerned with the rights of students and their parents than with rigid rules and regulations to try to tighten them up. All schools must provide for and accept students from their own priority enrolment area before accepting students from other areas. The guidelines on this are very clear and are designed to ensure that schools do not become overcrowded with out-of-area students.
It is important to note that changing demographics also reflect on school enrolments and that fluctuating enrolments are a fact of educational life. Because of this, it is neither desirable nor practical to operate a system of rigidly determined enrolment areas or to encourage a total free-market approach which could place them at the mercy of flashy
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