Page 565 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
the national plan for school improvement ACT implementation plan and the heads of agreement form a commitment to improve school performance and to reform school funding so that all schools are publicly funded on a basis that meets students’ individual needs.
It is well known that this government is committed to a high-quality and well-funded school system. We have invested in our education system over every budget that has been brought down. In implementing the funding model there has been extensive and productive consultation with the Association of Independent Schools and the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Catholic education system.
To assist government schools in the transition to the new arrangements, the new funding model will be implemented over a six-year period. At the beginning of this year schools were provided with certainty on our funding arrangements and our commitments to them—that is, the Catholic and independent schools. It is only by working together that we can make sure that all students in the ACT are afforded the best opportunities that we can provide.
The ACT wants to work with the Australian government to deliver the national plan for school improvement. We recognise, as I hope that the commonwealth does, that this change to our system is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a better and fairer schooling system. We want a schooling system that ensures not only funding equity between the systems but also equity between the states. ACT parents have a right to expect that, regardless of where their children go to school.
As Mr Gentleman has already referred to, the national plan has a key focus on meeting student need, on quality teaching, on quality learning, on empowered school leadership, on transparency and accountability. We here will develop an education system that prepares students to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
To make our great schools even greater, we will continue to invest and bring in different policy formulas and policy levers that make that difference. For example, we will ensure that our new recruits reach the top 30 per cent on literacy and numeracy. For example, we will make sure that we position our year 12 graduates in the best possible way—so by introducing mandatory English.
To ensure certainty and security in implementing this significant reform, it is important that the heads of agreement, the contract that we have with the Commonwealth of Australia, is for six years and that that six-year agreement is honoured.
It is important. I did not attend the Gonski bus arrival, but there would not be too many educators across the system that do not understand and value certainty of funding, reliability of funding, and no-one can deny that funding based on student need should be the aspiration of any government, any school and any educator in this country.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (5.40): I wholeheartedly support this motion today regarding the future of education funding for the ACT, and I appreciate Mr Gentleman’s ongoing support for a better school system.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video