Page 1742 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 4 May 2011
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My motion also calls on the government to provide desegregation of per student total expenses paid in monetary terms from both ACT and commonwealth government sources and to report this information to the Assembly. This information should be transparent and freely available to all of us. We should know on what basis the government makes financial decisions that affect so critically the viability of schools in the non-government sector.
Mr Speaker, in summary, I congratulate the ACT Catholic schools on their continued contribution to ACT education and I look forward to joining with them in their celebration of Catholic Schools Week. I applaud their initiative and the dedication of their principals and teaching staff for the valued contribution they make to ACT education.
I also thank the many schools throughout the whole ACT education system that have shown such wonderful hospitality to me when I have had the opportunity to visit them. I look forward to meeting many more throughout the territory in the months and years to come. I commend this motion to the ACT Assembly.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (10.16): I thank Mr Doszpot for raising this matter today. I say from the outset that there is much in Mr Doszpot’s motion for which I think we will find broad agreement across all parties in the Assembly today. I have circulated an amendment that goes to address a couple of elements that are important to raise in the context of the debate, and I will come to that shortly.
I say from the outset that the government is committed to ensuring that all students in the ACT have the best chance in life through quality education, regardless of the school that they attend and regardless of which sector that school is in. We want all young people in the territory to be equipped with the skills to lead fulfilling lives through quality education delivered by exceptional teachers. And that is why we have invested in the ACT Teacher Quality Institute, which begins operations this year and services all school sectors. The institute will ensure standards of teachers in ACT schools are upheld and that professional development is promoted.
I have said many times during my time in this place that the public versus private debate in education is over. We recognise that value comes with each system, and we ensure that we fund all schools appropriately according to need. That is why there is cooperation within the three school sectors—public, Catholic systemic and independent—and why we are working together to introduce the Australian curriculum across all three sectors.
This partnership and commitment to rolling out the national curriculum has positioned the ACT as the national leader in this important initiative, and it is why the sectors are working together to ensure that our schools remain at the forefront of educational innovation in this nation.
We continue to work together to ensure that our schools remain safe places through the ACT safe schools task force. Successful cross-sectoral collaboration through the
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