Page 1984 - Week 06 - Thursday, 8 June 2006
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non-indigenous students in literacy and numeracy in year 3, but by year 7 have fallen behind their non-indigenous peers. This occurs not only in the ACT but also in all other states and territories.
We are very hopeful that the support for literacy and numeracy that we are putting into the early years of schooling will address that. For example, the students who received additional support in year 4 in 2005 will participate in ACTAP as year 5 students. We would hope to see an improvement in those students’ results.
We also need to ensure that our indigenous students attend regularly, are engaged with their schooling and make a successful transition to further study or work. The indigenous home school liaison officers, the leadership and mentor officer and the college transitions officer have a critical role to play in that. However, it is not their role alone. It is the responsibility of the entire education system. We need to be more understanding about how we engage indigenous students in learning and we need to ensure that our teachers have this understanding. Initiatives such as the Dare to Lead program whereby schools make a commitment to improving outcomes for indigenous students will help.
It was very pleasing to learn recently that one of our indigenous students who graduated in 2005 received an inaugural Prime Minister’s award for skill excellence as the nation’s highest achieving indigenous student. This student, who had considered dropping out of school, is now working towards the goal of becoming a qualified librarian. Every success like this one provides an incentive for other students.
The government will continue to work towards the goal of indigenous students achieving outcomes equal to non-indigenous students. The foundations we put in place in 2005—Koori preschools, enhanced literacy and numeracy program, and support through leadership and mentoring—will be built upon. We will continue to work in partnership with the indigenous community, particularly through the indigenous education consultative body, to ensure that the improvements that we have seen, especially around literacy and numeracy, continue. Finally, we will continue to look at ways in which our teachers can gain greater insight and expertise around indigenous learning. Mr Speaker, I commend the 2005 report on indigenous education to the Assembly.
Paper
Mr Barr presented the following paper:
Australian Capital Tourism Corporation Act, pursuant to subsection 12 (2)—Australian Capital Tourism Corporation—3rd quarterly report—January to March 2006.
Working Families in the Australian Capital Territory—Select Committee
Interim report—government response
MR BARR: (Molonglo–Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Industrial Relations) (6.08): For the information of members, I present the following paper:
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