Page 5314 - Week 12 - Thursday, 28 October 2010
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and learning from each other, learning from each other’s schools and from each other’s principals and teachers—to share what has been learned from the failures as well as from the many successes and to work more closely together to turn possible failures into future success.
In government and non-government schools there are similar challenges and we are developing different ways to meet those challenges. But also we are developing ways that can be shared for the benefit of all students. That is why a strong partnership in this area is important. That is why I have established the cross-sectoral disability education steering group to draw on the experiences of all schools and to apply the lessons to the benefit of all students. I take this opportunity to thank Moira Najdecki and Andrew Wrigley from the CEO and AIS respectively, and Dr Watterston from the department for their hard work and dedication on this group.
Just as the old public-private debate is gone, so is the old family-school divide. We know that the two most important factors in a great education are, of course, a great teacher but equally the support a student receives from their family. Across the education system we strive to ensure that parents are able to participate more in the education of their child.
Just as we are embarking on a range of reforms to ensure that we continue to attract and retain the very best teachers in our schools, our virtual learning environment will provide students with remote and extra access to resources such as recorded lessons and video conferencing. However, it will also, importantly, offer parents a new and more convenient way to help their child succeed at school through the new parent portal.
When fully rolled out, the virtual learning environment will be another tool to assist students with a disability and their teachers. I am sure that as a result of strengthened partnerships between the public and non-government sectors—innovations like the virtual learning environment—we will see partnerships between families of students with disabilities grow even stronger within their school.
Mr Speaker, the final but most important piece in this puzzle is ensuring we have the very best teachers teaching all ACT students. There is nothing any government can do that will have a greater impact on ensuring that every ACT student gets the best education possible. That is why I believe it is important to change the way we do things. It is why I want to see teaching again become a profession that attracts the best and brightest. That is why I, and the best teachers, want to move away from the current career advancement practices that are in place for public school teachers.
It is why I want to give principals the power to pick who teaches in their school. It is why I want to give principals more power to take leadership roles in mentoring their teaching staff, and attracting and retaining the very best teachers with a faster promotion system, better pay and more recognition.
As I have said a number of times, none of this will come cheap, but I have already demonstrated just how this government is investing heavily in schools and in our students. We must continue to make sure that this investment goes where it will make
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