Mr TOYNE - 1999-06-01
The Chief Minister has tried to reassure Territorians that the bilingual programs will still be available in our schools. You’ve claimed all that is happening is a renaming of the program, but will the Chief Minister assure Territorians now that Aboriginal languages in the written form will continue to be taught and used in our classrooms, schools will retain resources to allow the production of educational materials in Aboriginal languages, and that the curriculum will continue to be developed from both Aboriginal and mainstream cultures?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the simple position of this government is that we are interested in better educative outcomes for Aboriginal students.
The bilingual program that we are talking about exists in 16 schools and costs this government $3m per year. It is our belief that the bilingual program in its present mode does not meet the educative outcomes that we want and we will work tirelessly to try to achieve literacy and numeracy standards that are on a par with non-indigenous students. The issue of bilingual education, its phasing out or otherwise, has really become a political issue and is really about a nametag. Whether we call this bilingual education or English as a second language program …
Mr Toyne: A point of order, Mr Speaker. This question involves 3 very specific and technical issues. It was put in a form that I wanted a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer to.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The Chief Minister has a certain amount of leeway in answering the question. He’s still on his feet answering the question.
Mr BURKE: The simple answer is, as I tried to elaborate, but if he wants further detail he can ask questions of the Minister for Education, but I can tell you that this Chief Minister and this government’s intention is this - better educative outcomes. The money is not being taken out of education’s budget. We want numeracy and literacy standards on a par with non-indigenous students. There is no intention to phase out indigenous languages in schools, and we remain committed to the position that culture and indigenous languages have a central place in everyday schooling for Aboriginal students. But if we put $3m into a particular program, it is fair and reasonable to ask for good educative outcomes - that is not occurring, and the revamped program will achieve that.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the simple position of this government is that we are interested in better educative outcomes for Aboriginal students.
The bilingual program that we are talking about exists in 16 schools and costs this government $3m per year. It is our belief that the bilingual program in its present mode does not meet the educative outcomes that we want and we will work tirelessly to try to achieve literacy and numeracy standards that are on a par with non-indigenous students. The issue of bilingual education, its phasing out or otherwise, has really become a political issue and is really about a nametag. Whether we call this bilingual education or English as a second language program …
Mr Toyne: A point of order, Mr Speaker. This question involves 3 very specific and technical issues. It was put in a form that I wanted a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer to.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The Chief Minister has a certain amount of leeway in answering the question. He’s still on his feet answering the question.
Mr BURKE: The simple answer is, as I tried to elaborate, but if he wants further detail he can ask questions of the Minister for Education, but I can tell you that this Chief Minister and this government’s intention is this - better educative outcomes. The money is not being taken out of education’s budget. We want numeracy and literacy standards on a par with non-indigenous students. There is no intention to phase out indigenous languages in schools, and we remain committed to the position that culture and indigenous languages have a central place in everyday schooling for Aboriginal students. But if we put $3m into a particular program, it is fair and reasonable to ask for good educative outcomes - that is not occurring, and the revamped program will achieve that.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016