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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 3844 ..

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (11.00): Mr Speaker, when I first saw Ms McRae's motion, prior to hearing her speak, I was a bit amazed because I thought that in the form in which it is written it is entirely inappropriate, for several different reasons. To start with, it is 20 years late because, of course, we have had school-based management for a 20-year period. Therefore, when she spoke, I was pleased to hear her say "enhanced school-based management", which is what I would assume she meant from the start, because the current proposals are to enhance the concept of school-based management by adding some additional resources and responsibilities. ACT school boards have collectively expressed a very strong view through the school board forum that the ACT already has school-based management, and that is a very good thing.

Ms McRae might even have read this article from which I am about to quote. I note it is from a high school, although she did refer to a few primary schools. The topic of school-based management and the improvements and reforms was raised in the 14 November edition of the Canberra High School Times. It is a very successful school in both Ms McRae's and my electorate. It has a very experienced principal, who wrote regarding school-based management:

SBM is the topic of the time. These past weeks, the Registrar, the Deputy Principal and I have been attending meetings on the new financial regulations being introduced into our Department; we are previewing the new Schools' Manual, we've been talking to cleaning contractors, grounds' maintenance people and much more. At Board level, we have been discussing the services that will now become the school's responsibility and how all this will be managed. These are very exciting times and extremely challenging. It is called Extended SBM because ACT schools already have considerable responsibilities and Extended SBM begins in full on 1 January 1997.

Mr Speaker, the school board forum has also reminded the department that the establishment of school boards 20 years ago made Canberra a national leader in school-based management. I am sure Ms McRae is well aware of that point. Our school boards have been responsible for approving curriculum and determining educational policies, expenditure and use of resources at the local level since the 1970s.

The second reason why the motion is inappropriate is that the extension of school-based management in 1997 is, in fact, a staged one. Schools will gradually pick up extra tasks and freedoms during the year. They will have very little to do on day one of term one in 1997 that they do not do already. From day one of 1997, every school will have at least $4,000 per annum in administration allowance alone, and that allowance is to assist with any increased workload. The administration allowance is at least equivalent to one day per week of extra administrative support if the school chooses to spend it in that way.

What will the schools have to do in term one? Schools may choose to do a great deal if they wish, and no doubt some will. But what they have to do is very limited and is phased in. The phasing-in process provides that in 1997 schools will not pay for water, sewerage, waste, sanitary collection, irrigation services, security systems or fire lines.

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