Page 4148 - Week 11 - Thursday, 17 Sept 2009
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reopened. That is effectively saying that the government has made the right decision in over 90 per cent of school closures. That is 90 per cent of getting it right.
Mr Hanson: You know I support Cook and Flynn. You were in the committee meeting when I discussed it.
MS BURCH: This means that the committee found that the ACT government got it right, that the government reform was necessary and that the reforms, as significant and as broad as they were, were right.
Mr Seselja: You need to be accurate when you speak, Joy.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Members of the opposition, please let Ms Burch speak. You will have a chance in a minute.
MS BURCH: This means that the committee found that the ACT government got it right—that the government reform was necessary; that the reforms, as significant and broad as they were, were right and positioned the ACT for the future; and that the ACT government made the right decision.
We have learnt that the ACT education experts support Towards 2020 and recognise and value the opportunities provided through Towards 2020. This is captured by the ACT Principals Association, whose representative stated:
The association’s view is that we have a very positive view of that.
He was referring to school closures. He continued:
We believe that the opportunity to revitalise public education, offer a range of different options for parents to choose from … and all of those sorts of things were a very positive move forward for ACT public education.
Despite the doom and gloom of some witnesses—indeed, there were some heartfelt stories there; I will give them that—following the announcement of Towards 2020 decisions and the closure of preschools and seven primary schools, the annual satisfaction survey of staff, parents and students in 2007 showed a continuing high level of satisfaction in public schooling in the ACT. Nine out of 10 primary school and eight out of 10 high school parents and carers expressed satisfaction with their children’s school and education. In addition, nine out of 10 school staff expressed satisfaction with their workplaces. It is important to note that almost half of the primary schools surveyed that year had enrolled students from schools or preschools that had closed at the end of 2006. So there was 90 per cent satisfaction with the schools from the schools that had students from closed schools.
In short, the overwhelming majority of the ACT school community are satisfied with their school and the ACT government’s education reform.
It is disappointing that the committee spent little time considering what would have happened if the reforms had not happened, but, when asked, Mr Barr did make extensive comments. His comments included this:
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