Page 1477 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 May 2015
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I present to the Assembly the Board of Senior Secondary Studies Amendment Bill 2015. As a means of introduction for members not familiar with the Board of Senior Secondary Studies or their work, I will outline their role. The board is responsible for the provision of curriculum, assessment and certification services to 32 schools in Canberra and overseas. The board has 14 members from a wide cross-section of the ACT community. It is recognised for its leadership and management of the senior secondary system across all sectors in the ACT.
The work of the board is central to the future opportunities for young adults and, in turn, the continued economic and social wellbeing of our community. With the bill that I am introducing today the government is modernising the legislation governing the board and making it more efficient for the board to carry out its work and meetings by allowing proxy voting for board members. The ACT senior secondary system is school based and characterised by its diversity and flexibility in curriculum and assessment. There is a wide range of paths leading to further education and into the workplace available to students.
In the ACT there are a number of innovative offerings which operate within a framework established and monitored by the board. Examples of the programs monitored include the community language schools, the ANU extension program, the big picture education program, the International Baccalaureate Diploma program, the flexible learning options program and the national award winning Canberra College Cares young parents program.
These innovations exist in conjunction with tertiary entrance and vocational education programs that the board also administers. This bill will strengthen and expand the membership of the board and place the government’s relationship with overseas schools on a firm legislative foundation.
In summary, the major amendments contained in the bill propose the provision for proxy voting for board members when they are unable to attend a board meeting; the provision for a board member to be appointed after consultation with the Australian Catholic University; the provision for a board member to be appointed after consultation with business and industry organisations; and the inclusion of a specific provision for the functions of the board to cover course delivery, assessment and certification services for overseas schools.
I will explain each of these proposals. Currently there is no provision in the act for proxy voting at board meetings. A specific provision in the act allowing for proxy voting for board members when they are unable to attend a board meeting would ensure a wider input into board discussions and decisions. This provision makes it easier and more efficient for the board to operate and is widely accepted practice in other areas of business and government.
The current act requires one board member to be appointed from each of Canberra’s three major tertiary institutions but by omission excludes a representative from the Australian Catholic University. The Australian Catholic University is a major stakeholder in education and provides secondary teacher training. Significant numbers of ACT senior secondary graduates enrol at the Catholic University’s Canberra
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video