Page 3138 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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High Schools Development Program
MR JENSEN: My question is directed to the Minister for Education. I ask this as a parent of two children who have attended a public high school in Canberra, as a former high school P and C member and president, and as a board member of that particular high school. Is it correct, Minister, that a development program for high schools is currently being prepared?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Jensen for his question. Although we generally acknowledge the excellence of our education system in the ACT, there are very real questions raised by members of the community, teachers included, about the role and future of our high schools. I think it is appropriate for us to look at whether those schools are providing the best possible service to the people that use them. There has not, in fact, been any systematic examination of the roles and purposes of high schools in the ACT since the secondary college system was created which, of course, excised the years 11 and 12 from high schools.
Concern has been expressed that insufficient recognition has been given to the fact that when those colleges were created in 1976 the new high school structure was very different from the previous structure and might face certain structural weaknesses. As high schools cater for the explosive developmental period of adolescence, teaching within them is not an easy task. This has led to problems of morale among high school teachers.
A public education system can reach its maximum potential only if all the sectors of that system are working properly. The development program that Mr Jensen has referred to will involve examination of the processes which control the operation of high schools, such as measuring performance, assessing training needs, supervision and establishing the rights and responsibilities of teachers, students and parents in relation to the learning process.
There have been some extremely positive preliminary negotiations with principals to establish the practices and the principles on which the operation of high schools should proceed, and also with groups of parents and parents and students to discuss questions of rights and responsibilities between them. I am confident this will lead to the publishing early next year of an education plan that will give attention to these problems.
Roadworks
MS FOLLETT: My question is to Mr Duby as Minister for Urban Services. Mr Duby, who is undertaking the roadworks at the intersection of Majura Avenue and Wakefield Avenue and when will they be completed?
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