Page 696 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
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Petitions—ministerial response
The following response to petitions has been lodged:
Music H course funding—petitions 18-18 and 24-18
By Mr Ramsay, Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, dated 27 February 2019, in response to two petitions lodged by Ms Le Couteur in similar terms on 29 November 2018 concerning the ANU School of Music H course.
The response read as follows:
Dear Mr Duncan
Thank you for your letter of 29 November 2018 regarding petition numbers 18-18 and 24-18 lodged by Ms Caroline Le Couteur MLA and received by the ACT Legislative Assembly on 29 November 2018.
The petitioners have requested the ACT Government commit to restoring funding of $270,000 for the H course music.
In accordance with Standing Order 100, I provide you with the following response to the petition for presentation to the Assembly.
I would firstly like to clarify that the music program funded by the government is known as the Music for Colleges program. It is not funded as the H course music. The intention of Music for Colleges program is to develop the artistic skills of the participants rather than any focus on education qualifications or university credits. It is therefore difficult to compare to the H courses offered in other disciplines through the ANU College Extension Program.
The decision to transition the Music for College from government arts funding by the end of 2019 was made public in February 2018. The decision was part of a strategy to refocus the programs that the Australian National University (ANU) provides under the Community Outreach Program for both the School of Music and the School of Art and Design. The government commenced these discussions with the ANU on the new Community Outreach Program in December 2016.
These changes are designed to shift direct support for students in the school environment, to supporting a broader cross section of the community to access government funded music programs. Hence the important change in language and focus to arts development rather than education outcomes.
ACT Education provides $120,000 per year to the ANU for an Extension program for year 11 and 12 students in ACT schools and colleges. ANU Extension students can enrol in an ANU academic award programs and be able to undertake courses in sciences, engineering, mathematics and Asian languages.
In addition to these programs, the government provides funding to ANU associated with research projects, learning and development programs, infrastructure, scholarships, research grants and jointly supported faculties.
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