Mr HATTON - 1999-02-18
As a result of the education review in 1998, the Northern Territory government promised an extra 39 primary school teachers throughout the Northern Territory. Of course, last month we heard the annual cries from people such as the Teachers’ Union and, particularly, the opposition spokesman for education on how disastrous the recruitment is at the start of the school year. This is an annual cash cry which has annually been proven inaccurate.
Has the government been successful in recruiting teachers to commence this year and, in particular, the recruitment of the additional teachers into primary schools which arose out of the education review?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I can inform honourable members that the answer to both prongs of that question is good news. We did, as a government last year, take the decision to employ extra teachers in urban primary schools as part of the education review that we undertook. We also decided that would be backed up by further additional support staff, and we have seen the recruitment of an extra 39 teachers over and above what was the normal establishment, and an additional 40 support staff into the primary school system. I am pleased to inform honourable members that all those positions that were vacant at the time were filled before the Christmas holidays. That is tremendous news. It is good news for all Territorians but in particular, of course, it is good news for young Territorians in primary school.
Over the Christmas break we had the usual turnover you get in any education system, and we started off requiring almost 200 additional teachers. Since the Christmas holidays, a further 35 vacancies occurred as teachers took the decision to move on or retire. I am pleased to inform honourable members that as of the start of the school year, all the vacancies that existed up until day one of the school year have been filled. I am very happy to talk about that, if the honourable member for Stuart would ever bother to ask a question in this House about education. Unfortunately, I have sat here on many occasions without getting a single education question from the opposition spokesperson.
The fact is that the start of this school year has been the best, by any account, in over a decade. Are we looking at increasing those standards? Yes, we are. Are we being complacent about the situation at the moment? No, we are not. But we are realists on this side of the House, and the fact is that we have had an injection of new blood into the system and we have been able to recruit those teachers.
I would like to pass on the best wishes, of all those on this side of the House at least, to those teachers and wish them all the very best in the education system. We are not complacent. Only about a week ago in the NT News on Saturday I noted that New South Wales and Western Australia were still looking for teachers to start their school year. We advertised down south, so I am not pointing the finger of blame at them in any way, but it does indicate that our situation here is extremely healthy and viable.
The review is going well and I congratulate all those within the department who have worked so hard to have what has been a fantastic start to the school year. I certainly wish all within the education system the very best 12 months ahead.
Has the government been successful in recruiting teachers to commence this year and, in particular, the recruitment of the additional teachers into primary schools which arose out of the education review?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I can inform honourable members that the answer to both prongs of that question is good news. We did, as a government last year, take the decision to employ extra teachers in urban primary schools as part of the education review that we undertook. We also decided that would be backed up by further additional support staff, and we have seen the recruitment of an extra 39 teachers over and above what was the normal establishment, and an additional 40 support staff into the primary school system. I am pleased to inform honourable members that all those positions that were vacant at the time were filled before the Christmas holidays. That is tremendous news. It is good news for all Territorians but in particular, of course, it is good news for young Territorians in primary school.
Over the Christmas break we had the usual turnover you get in any education system, and we started off requiring almost 200 additional teachers. Since the Christmas holidays, a further 35 vacancies occurred as teachers took the decision to move on or retire. I am pleased to inform honourable members that as of the start of the school year, all the vacancies that existed up until day one of the school year have been filled. I am very happy to talk about that, if the honourable member for Stuart would ever bother to ask a question in this House about education. Unfortunately, I have sat here on many occasions without getting a single education question from the opposition spokesperson.
The fact is that the start of this school year has been the best, by any account, in over a decade. Are we looking at increasing those standards? Yes, we are. Are we being complacent about the situation at the moment? No, we are not. But we are realists on this side of the House, and the fact is that we have had an injection of new blood into the system and we have been able to recruit those teachers.
I would like to pass on the best wishes, of all those on this side of the House at least, to those teachers and wish them all the very best in the education system. We are not complacent. Only about a week ago in the NT News on Saturday I noted that New South Wales and Western Australia were still looking for teachers to start their school year. We advertised down south, so I am not pointing the finger of blame at them in any way, but it does indicate that our situation here is extremely healthy and viable.
The review is going well and I congratulate all those within the department who have worked so hard to have what has been a fantastic start to the school year. I certainly wish all within the education system the very best 12 months ahead.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016