Page 4246 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 24 October 2017
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the government’s and my own key priorities for this term of government. I am pleased to be able to provide an update on the progress of those priorities and share some of the successes in my portfolio areas. As I said last year, the work of government and the role of ministers are about having those continual conversations with the community and delivering on the policy platform that we took to last year’s election.
It has been an engaging and inspiring year in my role as Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development. It has been rewarding to work with our fantastic educators, teachers and school leaders to deliver on key education priorities and to see the great work they do to broaden the horizon for our students and the community as a whole.
In one year the government has built on investment and innovation across the education system and has delivered continued implementation of the schools for all program, with five new school psychologists to be employed over the next six months and 15 more over the next three years. From term 1 in 2018 every public school student from years 7 to 11 will be provided with an electronic device for their studies and the ACT government will not give up the push for a truly needs-based funding approach to ensure that every student gets the funding they need.
At the system level, work is well underway on improving the ACT’s education system, together with each school and community. In February this year I launched a community conversation that will result in a strategy for the future of education in Canberra, one with equity and inclusion at its heart. So far we have heard from over 2,500 people as part of this conversation, including directly from students and young people, parents and carers, teachers, principals, school staff, public servants and the early childhood and community sectors. At the heart of this conversation is a commitment to equity and to ensuring that every child and young person in the ACT can access the education that will make them the best they can be and give them the best opportunities in life.
Quality infrastructure is also vital. This year’s budget delivered more than $100 million for capital upgrades in schools across Canberra. The government is delivering on its promise for record investment in our schools. Across Canberra there have been upgrades, big and small, that are meeting future need for spaces where students can learn and grow.
A community and global conversation has also continued this year about how we can build and advance support for true gender equity. As a member of Australia’s first parliament with a majority of women and as Minister for Women, this is something that has been important to me and something that we can advance as a community.
Most notably for Canberra women and girls, in March was I pleased to launch the first women’s action plan 2017-2019, which outlines key actions that will be taken across government to improve the health and wellbeing of Canberra women. As I have said previously, maintaining the momentum in these areas remains a key goal for me because true equity takes sustained campaigns that work on behaviour change and lead by example.
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