Page 782 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 1 April 2008
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Mr Speaker, education is not just about having high quality learning environments, and that has been rightly pointed out by other people here this afternoon. It is also what happens in a school and in the classrooms, and this government has a proven track record in these areas as well. Last year the minister announced further investment in public education specifically targeting areas such as student welfare, Indigenous outcomes, the teaching of languages and the quality of public education teaching.
Funding of $14.6 million over the next four years has been provided for a range of pastoral care and student welfare initiatives. This will provide for a dedicated pastoral care coordinator in every high school from 2008. These pastoral care teachers will coordinate whole school pastoral care programs that will take a personalised approach to the support of student wellbeing. The funding will also provide for additional support for non-teacher professionals, such as social workers and community nurses. The focus of these professionals will be on assisting families of high school students with complex needs to support their children in engaging with their learning.
Mr Speaker, as the minister has outlined there is a concern, too, with regard to Indigenous students. They will benefit from an additional $3.3 million over four years aimed at extending the intensive literacy and numeracy support for students in years kindergarten to year 4, with individual support and learning plans. As a person who has extensive experience in working and living with Indigenous communities, I know how critical this is.
Support will be provided for Indigenous students in years 6 and 9 who are performing well above the benchmark, and these students will be mentored through critical transitional points to help them stay in school to pursue further studies and achieve their goals. This is something that I experienced a lot when I was in the Northern Territory—that is, many students in fact did achieve quite well, but then their schooling was interrupted. Additional teacher consultants will also be provided to give individual support including the development of strategies to involve parents and caregivers in personalised learning plans.
I recently spoke in this place about our investment in language education, and funding of $300,000 has been committed over the next three years so that language programs can be offered to all students from year 3 to year 8 by 2010. Unfortunately every time that we mention this, Mrs Dunne continues to jeer across the chamber. The $300,000 is in addition to language programs already on offer in the early years and in years 9 and 10. Primary schools will offer language for a minimum of 60 minutes per week in years 3 and 6, and high school will offer languages from 150 minutes per week in years 7 and 8.
Mrs Dunne: $300,000 for three language teachers.
Mr Barr: It’s all about more money, is it?
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Dunne. Order, Mr Barr. No conversations across the chamber. Carry on, Ms Porter.
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