Page 4716 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 19 October 2011
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students, their families and teachers. However, we cannot rest on this, as we need to be aware a number of students are missing out and are not doing as well, largely because of other socioeconomic factors outside of their control.
Indeed, while we should rightly celebrate our achievements, we need to be aware that there are some who are not doing so well. I am concerned that we will use the test to identify those students who are not travelling as well, who may be missing out, and, rather than entrenching those problems, we must look at how we can put in the resources and the supports to make sure they can reach their educational potential.
One of the areas was around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and there were a number of recommendations from that inquiry. A number were agreed to and are in progress. One which was noted and which I hope is being given some more attention by the government was around the government investigating options for expanding the Gugan Gulwan program to include years 11 and 12 students. This was a program that had been funded. The funding then ceased and some lobbying went on to get that funding reinstated. I understand that recurrent funding has been put in place, but, really, they are saying: “We’ve got a great program. It really is assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to keep engaged in school because we’re working with the schools.” This is a way to have that conduit, that pathway, from Gugan Gulwan youth centre out at Erindale coming in through that program to get them into their local schools or to continue with that support from the tutors and workers at Gugan Gulwan.
They really want that program extended and I think it would be a worthwhile thing to do. As I said, the government noted it. I certainly hope they move on it and do that investigation. We need to look at how we can improve the outcomes and the results for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. I have to say that they are doing better than other parts of the country, and that is welcome news. But we know we can improve on that.
Another very important group that gave evidence to the inquiry was young carers in our community. Having worked at the Youth Coalition, where we did an extensive study and investigation and a series of reports into young carers, we know that young people who are caring for a parent or another family member who may have a mental illness or a chronic illness are regularly missing school. We need to see how we can support them to continue with their education, whether that be online or whether it be a more flexible way of learning.
The ACT has done it incredibly well with the CCCares program for our young mums and also young dads. It is a world-class program. I think we can continue to build and be innovative in the ACT and be bold and look at how we can provide a range of flexible learning delivery, because it really benefits not only those young people but their families, their communities and the whole Canberra community.
I would now like to turn to the issue of specialist teachers. These teachers will, of course, form an important part of our response to help those students who need particular assistance. I note that extra money has been put in through the budget—$11.8 million will be spent on educational reform and enhanced career paths for teachers. As I have said before, the Greens support this initiative.
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