Page 2241 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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There are ongoing challenges here. We do see some schools under pressure. I make no bones about it. I have never made any bones about it. What I can guarantee is that I am quite focused on working with the schools that are facing enrolment issues, be it low enrolments or high enrolments, to do the best possible job for them. I move:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes:
(a) that, on 6 April 2016, the Minister for Education provided the Assembly with a comprehensive summary of issues relating to public school capacity;
(b) that, on 9 June 2016, the Minister for Education presented to the Legislative Assembly:
(i) February 2016 Census enrolments;
(ii) 2016 school capacities;
(iii) 2017 and 2018 enrolment projections for all Canberra public schools, except for four specialist schools;
(iv) explanations for changes to methodology of quantifying school capacity; and
(v) an updated glossary of terms that relate to student enrolment; and
(c) this information and other relevant information regarding student enrolment is published on the Education Directorate website at
http://www.education.act.gov.au/school_education/enrolling_in_an_act_public_school; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) continue to work with students, schools, parents and local communities in response to increased enrolments in ACT public schools; and
(b) maintain its strategic approach to school capacity and infrastructure funding as evidenced by the 2016-17 Budget.”.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Minister for Housing, Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Multicultural and Youth Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Women) (3.56): I welcome the chance to speak to and support Minister Rattenbury’s amendment today. I believe that it is a balanced amendment that acknowledges the need for evidence-based future planning and a strong investment in ACT public schools.
Projecting population growth and school demand is a difficult task. I appreciate the level of information that Minister Rattenbury has provided to this place during our previous sittings, which he has referred to. The information that he included in that
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