Page 4681 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 October 2010
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the implementation of the school-based management review, and $300,000 for swimming and survival skills in ACT schools.
Again, it is worth noting that the ACT Liberals voted against all of those new initiatives. Most recently the ACT budget also provided $27.7 million in capital funding, including more money to expand Red Hill primary school, expansion of the gymnasium at Harrison high school, forward design for a new school in Molonglo, a new school in Bonner, a new school in Franklin, $1.4 million for various ICT initiatives including online student enrolments, upgrades to the board of senior secondary studies IT system and $12.6 million in capital upgrades in schools, including provision for security fencing, environmentally sustainable designs, teaching area improvements and a variety of other school infrastructure improvements.
Unfortunately, again the ACT Liberals voted against all of those initiatives. The ACT government has invested record funding in upgrading all of our public schools as well as building new schools where they are needed most. We have made investments to lower class sizes for every year of schooling to ensure no student is left behind in literacy and numeracy.
We funded the Department of Education and Training to develop the school improvement directions plan 2010-13. This plan details the implementation of a comprehensive approach to school improvement based on the principle that the core work of all school leaders is to improve student learning outcomes. I have launched discussion papers to seek community views on further improving high schools and colleges to better meet the needs of students in the 21st century.
We are rolling out the new virtual learning environment. This is providing students with more resources and also providing parents with the opportunity to help their kids at school through the new parent portal. I am determined to give principals more say over who teaches at their school and to give them the ability to attract and keep the best teachers in their classrooms, with faster promotions and a salary structure that better reflects the professional standards, including the new professional standards that will be part of the education landscape from 2011 on. The key here is ensuring that we continue to attract and retain the very best teachers.
It is true that those opposite have no vision for the future of Canberra and it is nowhere more evident than in education. Once again they resort to their only doctrine, opposition for opposition’s sake. The shadow minister has demonstrated very limited understanding of how the education system works or how the professional men and women who are striving in it provide even better education for Canberra kids. He has no idea why he voted against the last two ACT education budgets and it is very clear to see from his speech this morning that he still does not understand why he did that.
He has made no effort to acquaint himself with the facts. He has made no effort to acquaint himself—
Mr Hanson: Look around you, Andrew. Where are your friends?
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson!
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