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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (11 May) . . Page.. 1491 ..

I thank the Committee for the obvious time and effort they have put into its report and recommendations.

I commend the Government response to members of the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Berry ) adjourned.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (3.54): For the information of members, I present the following paper:

Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the report.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: Thank you, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. I have great pleasure today in presenting the ACT Department of Education and Community Services school development report of 1999. The report represents a fulfilment of a significant commitment to the ACT community-a commitment to keep the school community involved, informed and basically in the loop of government education policy making. That is a promise that this government particularly takes very seriously and one I am proud to say that we are actually delivering on.

I want to come to the process, which I think is important. The school development report process is a major component of my department's quality assurance process. In layman's terms, it is a part of the government's ongoing commitment to improve the quality and delivery of government school-based education in the territory for our clients and for constituents.

Its primary purpose is actually to provide greater feedback to school communities and the government. It is a process that promotes school improvement and future planning. It is designed to satisfy public accountability requirements and involves a commitment of the whole school community-our students, parents, teachers and administrative staff.

That is what I call a consultative government. It is a government that is actually talking to the community, that listens and that works in partnership with the community to improve the system.

The school development report process takes place in all of our government primary schools, high schools, special schools and colleges as well as other government settings on a cyclical five-year timetable. The current five-year school development cycle commenced in 1997. In 1999, 11 primaries, three high schools and four special schools undertook school development. It is important to note that this report is the first to canvass the views of parents, students and staff in our special school system, while ACT colleges will commence their review cycles in 2000.

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