Page 3119 - Week 07 - Thursday, 30 June 2011
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I move on to other matters. I remain concerned at the mismatch of anecdotal but authoritative evidence I continue to receive about teacher shortage, about lack of discipline in schools and inability of principals to manage some situations because of red tape and government process.
The minister has advised that as at May of this year there were no vacancies in primary or high schools or in ACT secondary colleges. Technically there may not be vacancies, but that does not mean there are no gaps. I know that there is a shortage of qualified maths and science teachers and appropriately qualified school librarians. In my electorate there is one high school that has not had a teacher librarian for over three years. (Second speaking period taken.)
I repeat that in my electorate there is one high school that has not had a teacher librarian for over three years. I return to the to the estimates committee report. The committee has suggested the earlier introduction of the “teach next” initiative so that science and maths students are not disadvantaged.
I note that my colleagues Mr Smyth and Mr Hanson were equally sceptical of the minister’s less than fulsome endorsement of and support for government school principals and suggested that the minister should provide unambiguous support for school principals in maintaining discipline within their schools as part of the autonomy for schools policy.
It is pleasing that the suspension support team trial achieved a 50 per cent reduction in the number of suspensions. But the headlines earlier this week that 40 per cent of students suspended had come from two schools, and the publication of the number of penalties handed out since the new arrangements were introduced, do little to advance the reputation of those schools in particular and the public education system in general. The department’s own accountability indicators highlight the dissatisfaction parents have with public education. I see little in the budget or in the proposed “blueprint for action” that will address those shortcomings.
During the budget and in the committee’s examination, there was reference to the allocation of the $750,000 innovation fund and also to the $11.8 million for educational reform and provision of enhanced career paths for teachers. In respect of the innovation fund, there was little information provided and the committee made a recommendation, recommendation No 115, that the government provide details of all initiatives to be included in this fund.
Very consistently, the minister’s response to this recommendation was one of noting. His answer provided little further detail than what was offered during the hearings, other than that funding will be in two rounds. We look forward to the first call round in September. Like the committee, I too am sceptical about just how far this $11.8 million magic pudding will extend and exactly what it will cover. The committee and I suspect that many in the ACT teaching service are concerned at the capacity to fund both increases in the salaries of deputy principals and the leading teacher initiative within the $12 million.
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