Page 3115 - Week 08 - Thursday, 25 June 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
resources be targeted towards some of the 80,000 Canberrans with low literacy and numeracy levels who are not necessarily children engaged in education. This includes working collaboratively with community organisations to engage in work with people who are marginalised from mainstream services.
The need to attract an additional 70 teachers to accommodate the implementation of smaller class sizes presents a significant challenge in a climate where the salary rates for ACT teachers are lower than in some other jurisdictions. The upcoming enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations and the minister’s plans to review teaching salary classifications will place pressure in relation to ongoing funding to attract new, and retain existing, teachers. We welcome the recommendation of the estimates committee for the government to provide a detailed analysis of the impact that a major restructure of the education workforce would have on the budget over the forward years. With the projected overall ongoing budget deficit, it is vital that any significant increases in expenditure, no matter how important, be carefully considered.
In relation to increasing the number of Indigenous teachers and teachers’ aides in our public schools, we welcome this and we need arrangements to continue the long-term funding of the part-time teaching resource for Gugan Gulwan youth centre, bearing in mind that this funding of around $35,000 was formerly provided from the community inclusion fund, which ceases on 30 June 2009. With some $6.4 million allocated for literacy and numeracy, it would seem that this resource would fit into that category. We appreciate that in estimates and in the government’s response the department and Mr Barr undertook to maintain funding for 2009-10 and to look at the possibility of how best to continue this program within the department’s overall Indigenous education program.
Last week we saw the minister agree to widen the scope of the special needs review for students with a disability to include non-government school students. No doubt, along with the families of these students and the teaching staff, members in this place will be pleased this has happened. Over time, since the review was announced, we have had many representations in relation to the omission of non-government schools from the review, and we see it as an essential step in any process to improve services for these students. Also, in regard to special needs education, we look forward to the outcome of the Shaddock review, but I am concerned by the minister’s statements that no extra funding will be provided. I would hope that, if the review identifies the need for more funding, the government would respond positively.
Capital works involving Harrison high school, Gungahlin College and other projects, when combined with the significant nation building and jobs plan funding for government and non-government schools, provide the education sector with a sound basis to meet ongoing and future needs of students, teachers and other members of school communities.
The ACT Greens are supporting this line in the bill but are flagging the need for the minister and the Assembly to closely monitor the sizeable spend in this area and to ensure targets are met.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Children and Young People, Minister for Planning and Minister for Tourism, Sport and
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .