Page 643 - Week 02 - Thursday, 17 February 2005
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The Within Reach Of Us All suite of plans for ACT government schools provide the context for the department’s commitment to reduce incidents of racism in schools. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Education Across Curriculum Perspectives, Racism No Way! and the Mind Matters program referred to in Facing up to Racism are already being implemented. Each ACT government school has an anti-racism contact officer for students and the department’s Indigenous Education Section also plays a key role in addressing issues of racism in schools.
(2) The Within Reach Of Us All plans outline the department’s actions and indicators to evaluate the progress of this aim. In particular, all formal complaints or allegations of racism are recorded on the department’s database. The number of allegations of racism in schools or the workplace recorded on this database will thus form a key performance indicator for the department.
The recently released National Safe Schools Framework also includes key performance indicators related to student safety and welfare.
(3) DET provides an executive officer (School Leader C) and administrative support to deliver training for anti-harassment and anti-racism contact officers in schools, to maintain a network of contact officers and support for schools on discrimination issues.
DET contributed $4,000 to the provision of Racism: No Way! printed materials to all government schools and continues to contribute to the funding for the Bullying: No Way! website. Additional support is provided through the implementation of the National Safe Schools Framework, as well as staff Indigenous and multicultural awareness training. The department also funds 13 Indigenous home/school liaison officers whose work includes addressing issues of racism in schools. The Inclusivity Challenge: A discussion paper for school communities publication was produced and distributed to schools in 2003 to support the DET professional learning priority of Inclusivity.
(4) The department reports to the Legislative Assembly on progress in meeting the commitments to Indigenous young people on a regular basis in the Performance In Indigenous Education report. This includes commitments to overcoming racism and valuing diversity, and creating safe, supportive, welcoming and culturally inclusive educational environments. The Eighth Report was tabled in the August sitting period of the Assembly.
Schools report on their achievements and programs against the commitments in the department’s ACT Government Schools Plan in their annual School Board Report. The School Development process requires schools to regularly review their progress on a range of areas, including harassment.
Data about complaints will be summarised and reported in the department’s Annual Report.
Fireworks—reports
(Question No 18)
Mr Pratt asked the Minister for Industrial Relations, upon notice, on 7 December 2004:
(1) Have there been any reports to date to A.C.T. Workcover about illegal explosives or
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