Page 1014 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Schools - Parents' Contributions
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Minister for Education and I refer to Education Department guidelines concerning the voluntary contributions that parents make to their children's schools. Is the Minister satisfied that the guidelines are working satisfactorily in that they do not deny access to school facilities or activities if the contributions are not paid? I wonder if he has had any complaints of any sort.
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Wood for his question. No, I have not had any complaints about the operation of the arrangements for voluntary contributions by parents to schools, although I have engaged in discussion with some of those parents - those who are chairpersons of school boards - about the nature of the scheme and whether the rate of payment by parents to that voluntary contribution arrangement is satisfactory. I can indicate that I am not aware of any widespread or general discontent with the present arrangements.
It does occur to me, Mr Speaker, that it is unfortunate that some schools experience extremely or regrettably low rates of collection of that voluntary contribution. It may be that in time we ought to look at alternative arrangements. Perhaps - and this is merely a suggestion - we should look at making the fee compulsory and then providing for exemption provisions in the case of hardship. Perhaps that is a better arrangement. But I can indicate to Mr Wood, that the Government is not presently considering any changes to those arrangements, and I am not aware of any widespread push on the part of the community for changes in arrangements.
MR WOOD: I ask a supplementary question. I certainly hope that I have not stirred up a hornet's nest. I would not recommend for a moment that those fees become compulsory. I think that that thought is quite unacceptable. In contrast, I ask the Minister whether he can assure ACT parents that the contribution is purely voluntary, and that no child will suffer in any way if the fee is not paid by his or her parents?
MR HUMPHRIES: I can certainly assure the member that that is the case. There is not any element of compulsion about the fee presently and there is certainly no question that the child of a parent who does not pay that fee will not be enrolled or will receive anything other than normal treatment at that school. However, I want to emphasise the point that it is worth raising and discussing these issues. I have made it clear already in the Assembly that there are serious problems with our budget, particularly our education budget, and rather than see services cut in the education sector, perhaps we should think about other ways of raising revenue.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .