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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1672 ..

MR STEFANIAK: I thank the member for the question. Indeed, asking the teachers would not be a very bad start. Firstly, let us just get a couple of points straight. School boards have not been sacked. The school boards themselves wanted this course of action so that they could continue in their legal role. Some school boards, Mr Whitecross, are in fact still operating. If they can meet during the day and the teacher representative can be there, they can operate. I am advised that some others are operating because teachers are still attending; but, of course, there are some that are not because of the bans.

The Government is doing all it can to ensure that the bans are lifted. We have gone to the arbitration commission. We are progressing through that course. These bans have been imposed by the Australian Education Union. They affect a large number of areas in our government schooling system, one of them being the school boards. The school boards have recognised that themselves and have asked for action to be taken, and action has been taken. Mr Whitecross, I think the best way of ensuring that there are no further delays in any aspect of education is for the bans that affect the proper operation of our school system, including this one, to be lifted. The ball is very much in the court of the AEU.

MR WHITECROSS: Under the circumstances of not getting my question answered, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, what mechanism is being provided to ensure that parents and teachers are provided with extensive and ongoing professional development to ensure that school-based management, which is what the question was about actually, is effective? Unless this happens, the inevitable losers will be the schools. Do you agree that January 1997 is looking increasingly unlikely as a feasible date for the introduction of school-based management?

MR STEFANIAK: I do not know whether Mr Whitecross is aware, but a large number of - - -

MR SPEAKER: The last part of the question is hypothetical, Mr Stefaniak.

MR STEFANIAK: Yes. Thank you, Mr Speaker. For Mr Whitecross's benefit, I will outline the timeframe. The department responded to concerns expressed by some groups last year, in relation to the limited timeframe for response and consultation, by extending it until March this year. A number of responses were received and are being looked at by the School Based Management Unit, which is arranging all of this and coordinating the process. During this year schools will be provided with further information regarding details of costs and possible formulas for funding. Development of guidelines and the formation of working parties to examine resourcing issues are also taking place this year. This timeframe will allow more time for professional development, assessing of proposed formulas, and school-level planning. The school board management training program will begin in term two of this year. It is planned to implement further school-based management into our system at the beginning of 1997. Matters are proceeding.

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