Page 2371 - Week 06 - Thursday, 10 May 2012
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DR BOURKE: Yes, I appreciate that we have seen a 20 per cent increase in the number of funded students from over two years ago. And it is not just individual face-to-face hours that we are increasing funding to. In the last year we have opened a new primary introductory English centre to cater for demand, and we remain committed to building staff capacity to continue addressing the needs of students.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary.
MR SESELJA: The minister threw me with his sudden end. Minister, given the increase in the number of teaching positions, what additional resources are provided by the directorate to assist ESL-EALD teachers?
DR BOURKE: There is a range of diverse supports to support these students. They range from intensive support at the introductory English centres which I just talked about at the primary and secondary level through to expert one-on-one support from specialist English as an additional language or dialect teachers.
Mr Seselja: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: One moment, Minister Bourke. Stop the clocks.
Mr Seselja: The minister appears to have misunderstood my question. The question was in relation to assistance to teachers. He might address the actual question.
MR SPEAKER: Perhaps that clarification assists, minister.
DR BOURKE: Thanks, Mr Speaker. I was just about to get to that bit. There is also the provision of a range of EALD professional learning courses for teachers. This ensures that staff are properly trained and qualified and can continue to meet the needs of students.
Schools—asbestos
MR HANSON: My question is to the minister for education. Minister, how often are hazardous material survey and management plans initiated for ACT public schools?
DR BOURKE: The Education and Training Directorate progressively undertakes building condition assessments of all ACT public schools and these are undertaken over a three-year rolling program.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, a supplementary.
MR HANSON: When reports are published with recommendations for removal as soon as practicable, is there any time limit on what that realistically means?
DR BOURKE: I am advised that high risk materials or areas are classified at the 1A or 1B level, which means that they are rendered safe immediately and then progressively fixed over a six-month period.
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