Page214 - Week 01 - Thursday, 3 December 2020

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(4) There are no ACT or Australian Government requirements to ensure optimal coverage; the placement of 5G cells and other 5G technology is a commercial decision for the mobile carriers.

(5) The rollout of 5G technology is being undertaken by Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom in the ACT. The ACT Government has no contracts to provide 5G cell reception.

(6) The ACT Government has no contracts to provide 5G cell reception.

(7) There will be no costs to the ACT Government for any future installation of 5G in West Macgregor by the mobile carriers.

Education—languages
(Question No 12)

Mrs Kikkert asked the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, upon notice, on 4 December 2020:

(1) In relation to language instruction at Belconnen High School and the three primary schools that share its priority enrolment area (PEA), when was the decision made to cease teaching Indonesian and French at Belconnen High School.

(2) Who was consulted regarding this decision before it was made, and when/where did these consultations take place.

(3) When and how were residents within Belconnen High School’s PEA informed of this change.

(4) What public options exist for families who live in the Belconnen High School PEA where children wish to continue their studies in Indonesian or French at high school.

(5) Noting the Government’s Curriculum Requirements in ACT Public Schools (P–10) Policy 2009 requires all high schools in the Territory are to provide a language program of 150+ minutes per week to students in years 7–8 in one of eight priority languages: French; German; Italian; Spanish; Indonesian; Japanese; Mandarin; and/or Korean and that Belconnen High School no longer complies with this requirement, why has a decision been taken that now makes Belconnen High School non-compliant with government policy.

(6) Does this non-compliance in any way increase the enrolment options for families where children wish to be able to continue their language studies; if so, in what way/s, for example, is enrolment preference given to such families at schools outside of their PEA.

(7) What steps will the ACT Government take to bring Belconnen High School back into compliance with this policy and when will this be complete.

Ms Berry: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

1) The decisions to discontinue French and Indonesian occurred during the 2017 school year.


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