Page 3120 - Week 07 - Thursday, 30 June 2011
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The minister’s oft-repeated mantra of six-figure salaries for teachers was floated in 2008—2008, minister! That is three years ago. It is now 2011. What is going on? Again, where is this? The minister’s ideas certainly cropped up in 2008, again in 2009, again in 2010, and is it any wonder there is scepticism, minister? The AEU made public comment on this and I am not aware that the minister has done much to allay their fears. The committee, and indeed the public education sector, asked for and await further details with great interest.
The response, while agreeing to the committee’s request for further information, again offers little more than what is already known. The minister talks boldly of the development of new schools. In the estimates hearings he reported that a capital works program in the order of $200 million has been managed by the directorate. With population growth such as we have, new schools are important and there are some great new schools being developed.
But this government is better known for its ability to close down schools, to let schools get mouldy, to allow schools to go without heating in the middle of winter. Minister, I wrote to you last week about teachers and students at Gold Creek having to put up with arctic conditions in their classrooms when the heaters had broken down. A week later they still have not been rectified, and I still have not heard back, nor has the school heard, nor have the parents and children had the problem rectified.
How can parents be certain these new schools will deliver the facilities that are needed, that the school supports a culture that does not tolerate bullying, that principals will be allowed the autonomy they seek when this government cannot even manage the construction of a workable fit-for-purpose fire shed?
An important aspect of the education budget is the $20 million that is earmarked for disability educational programs to give students with a disability similar opportunities to other students. These funds—$5 million over each of the next four years—will be supported by additional funds from the federal government. They are designed to extend capacity in this area and allow the education system to fully meet their obligations under the student-centred appraisal of need, SCAN, process.
I trust that the minister has learnt from his mistakes last year and recognises the support this sector requires. They are not, and never were, an easy target for him to use to meet efficiency dividends. From my own representations I know the frustrations and concerns around the delivery of school-based programs for visually impaired students. I raised some of these concerns within the committee.
There is a disconnect and uncertainty surrounding which department should manage such activities as sports programs for disabled students, and I note the recommendation in the report that suggests better coordination between departments. The government response suggests that it is already happening, but we know it is not, despite what might be in-principle agreement.
I get numerous complaints each week about the disconnect between education, disability and health at the ministerial, as well as at the departmental, level. A similar
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