Page 1936 - Week 07 - Thursday, 13 August 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
complement the requirement in the Education Act 2004 for schools providing boarding facilities to adhere to the Australian Standard.
As this work progresses, the ACT government will review the approach to boarding schools to ensure it continues to provide the best framework to keep children safe. The Australian Standard includes requirements around governance; records; financial management; the health, safety and wellbeing of staff; the competence and professional learning of staff; and facilities.
Requiring adherence to the Australian Standard will provide an assurance mechanism that requires schools providing boarding facilities in the ACT to be kept to a nationally recognised standard in all aspects to the operation. It is the most appropriate standard to be used at this time. The Education Directorate can provide a copy of the Australian Standard to schools operating boarding facilities in the ACT at no cost to the school. The offer will be made to the schools on the passing of the bill.
This amendment was developed in consultation with the Association of Independent Schools and the two boarding schools in the ACT. The amendment is a demonstration of our shared commitment to child safety. This approach allows for the implementation of recommendation 13.3 of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and continues the ACT government’s sustained engagement with all educational sectors on this important work.
Through an amendment to the act, the government will also clarify arrangements to waive fees for students holding temporary visas under certain humanitarian and financial hardship groups, ensuring equity for all students. This will ensure that children on temporary visas who are temporary residents are able to continue accessing an education.
The bill also addresses an anomaly relating to the composition of school boards within government schools. A few schools do not have parents and citizens associations, which means no parent or citizen members are able to be elected to their respective school boards. This amendment will enable the appointment of parent and citizen representatives to government school boards where there is currently no active parents and citizens association, ensuring that parents and citizens can continue to engage with their school community in this important way.
Finally, the bill also clarifies beyond doubt the ability to share information across jurisdictions about children and young people in relation to their education in certain circumstances. Currently the act does not provide a legislative mechanism for the ACT to enforce the attendance of students who are not ACT residents but are enrolled in ACT schools.
When all other avenues have been exhausted, the amendment will enable the director-general to seek and share information with relevant interjurisdictional bodies with authority and responsibility—such as the New South Wales Department of Education or the New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice—whilst managing privacy obligations appropriately. This implements the ACT government’s
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video