Page 2251 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
upgrades, including fibre optic cabling to all public schools; increased access to quality preschool education; highly innovative, best practice early childhood schools; and enhanced assistance to students with special learning social needs and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
This work continues. Since the 2008 election, the government has been busy delivering on teacher quality, better classrooms, smaller class sizes, reduced student to teacher ratios and new ways to teach and learn. We have negotiated a new enterprise bargaining agreement and performance review periods to enhance teacher professional development.
This year’s budget contains funding for the ACT Teacher Quality Institute and we have begun establishing the new accomplished teacher and leading teacher classifications. We are delivering over half a billion dollars worth of capital works, supported, although in a minority status, interestingly—when compared with other states and territories, the level of territory government funding for the school capital works upgrades dwarfs the building the education revolution funding. I think we would be the only jurisdiction in Australia where that is the case.
That combined funding injection from the territory government and the federal government has led to the establishment of new libraries, halls, gymnasiums, performing arts centres and new classroom facilities. New schools are being built where they are needed most, where there is emerging pressure on school places. In particular, we are building Gungahlin college and Harrison high school and expanding Red Hill primary school. We are designing the Molonglo, Bonner and Franklin early childhood schools. We have recruited 70 extra teachers. I am pleased to say that today, for the first time, average class sizes in ACT public primary schools are below 21.
Another way to think of this achievement is to look at student to teacher ratios. There is a nationally consistent measure that is reported on every year. The Productivity Commission reports on government services. It is a very transparent way to assess the benchmark of how the ACT is performing. In ACT public primary schools, there is now one teacher for every 14 students. That, I think, is second only to the Northern Territory, and there are particular circumstances that relate to the NT. We are delivering new ways to teach and learn. We have 10 ACT schools trialling the national curriculum. Virtual learning environments and a $7.5 million investment in new technology are being rolled out across the territory schools.
This is a strong record of achievement off the back of difficult reforms in 2006. The ACT now sets the benchmark in this country for investment in education. But there is a very firm rule of policy that underpins all of this reform, Mr Speaker, and it is simply this: no investment without reform. Without the reforms of 2006, none of this could have been delivered.
The government support this bill in principle. There are some detailed amendments that we will go through shortly that go to cover off all of the issues that we believe should be considered and, in fact, are broadly consistent with what occurred in 2006. To the extent that within this amendment bill they are explicitly stated, that would probably aid any future education minister who has to embark on such a process. In
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video