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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2581 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

Currently, the accreditation of all board courses to national vocational standards is handled by the Accreditation and Registration Council of the Vocational and Education Training Authority. The council largely recognises board procedures, which has avoided a great deal of duplication. In order to remove duplication completely, the Government proposes that the board accredit all vocational education courses for schools in the Territory. In line with this additional accreditation function, and reflecting the need to include business in vocational education issues, membership of the board has been expanded to include the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Speaker, I want to assure members of this place that any financial considerations in turning the current board into a statutory body are negligible. The board will have no staffing or financial powers and will require no additional departmental funding. In order to achieve maximum opportunity for consultation, this Bill has been circulated to Assembly members and to key stakeholders prior to its presentation in this Assembly.

Mr Speaker, I am advised by my department and by the chair of the board of strong support within the educational community for the board to gain statutory status. This support has been demonstrated by key players within the education sector; namely, I am advised, parents, the non-government sector, the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, the Canberra Institute of Technology and teachers' industrial organisations. This proposal adopts a minimalist position, in that it recommends that the current administrative arrangements simply be translated into legislation. There has, however, been a slight increase in the membership of the board to reflect the opinions and views of as broad a range of interested groups as possible. To this end, parents, who are not members of the current board, will in future have two appointees on the board, from the government and non-government sectors. Similarly, employers will be represented by a member for the first time.

Following advice from the Legal Policy Division of the Attorney-General's Department, this draft Bill also sets out administrative procedures for the functions of accreditation and registration of courses and the issuing of certificates of attainment. Administrative procedures for the review of decisions to refuse accreditation and to review decisions to refuse a certificate have also been provided.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker: All of us in this place are aware that the ACT senior secondary system is unique among its Australian contemporaries. It is the only system that relies on school-based curriculum, and, along with Queensland, the only jurisdiction to rely solely on school-based assessment. I think it is extremely important to maintain this unique position. I believe, as I said previously, that amending the status of the Board of Senior Secondary Studies will strengthen and enhance our deserved reputation as an educational leader in the senior secondary sector and an able provider of the best possible outcomes for our senior students. I commend this Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Ms McRae) adjourned.

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