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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 1 Hansard (13 February) . . Page.. 85 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

are the broad benchmarks that we are striving for, and I don't think anyone would say that they are not worthwhile aims.

I am very proud of our public education system. I am proud that we have so many dedicated professionals working with our children to achieve good outcomes. I was a product of the local education system, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I can compare the sort of education I received, good as it was, for example, at high school at Narrabundah from Years 7 to 12 back in the 1960s, with what is received there now, certainly in the senior years. I go back there and compare what I learned in Years 11 and 12 with what is on offer now. I think our system now has infinitely more to offer students than it did some 30 years ago. The public education system in the ACT, I think, has gone from strength to strength. If by "set the benchmark" Mr Berry means we do the very best for our students, I agree with that, and the government stands by its record in that regard.

Last year we had a funding boost of some $11.5 million and, of course, a little bit, $1.1 million I think, for the non-government schools. On top of that we have announced the initiative to decrease class sizes, and I am not going to go into that because that came up during question time.

As for quality assurance, a fifth of our government schools undergo school development every single year. In 2000 some eight ACT government secondary colleges were also reviewed. That means that every five years every one of our schools is going to be reviewed for assurance to make sure that they do provide the best possible service to our students. It's a key, and that I think is quite important in terms of benchmarks. What better way to see how good a school system is than to have benchmarks that are now starting to come out that can assess your students in terms of an agreed standard?

This government in 1997, against some opposition, I think-there was certainly some concern by the then Labor opposition-introduced literacy and numeracy benchmarks set for Year 3 and Year 5. We have extended that to Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. I think we were the first state or territory to have Year 7 and Year 9 assessment. That is crucially important. With those benchmarks, both the ones we get from the five strands of literacy and the nine strands of numeracy through those years, we are now seeing how those students are going and which students need assistance, and perhaps which schools need a bit more assistance. Those things are essential in terms of maintaining a benchmark and lifting standards all the time.

Now that we have national benchmarks I am pleased to see that last year, 2000, 90.8 per cent of our ACT Year 5 students in our government school sector-remember that we do not test the non-government sector yet; I do not know how they would go, and everyone but South Australia tests everyone-performed above the benchmark in reading tests. That was up from 90.4 per cent the year before in 1999. For Year 3, benchmarks have been set, finally. In 1999 it was 89.9 per cent. Last year, 2000, 94.8 per cent attained better or above the national benchmark. That is an excellent result. As a result of this testing, as a result of these benchmarks, we are able to identify kids who would otherwise fall through the gaps.

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