Mr BALCH - 1997-12-04
As members are aware, the Olympic Games are to be held in Sydney in 2000. Is the Territory government considering any changes to school terms to allow Territorians to attend the games during the school holidays?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Department of Education is considering various options for accommodating the 2000 Olympics. One is to change nothing in the 2000 school year while others offer a term break to accommodate the Olympics. I shall outline what some of the other jurisdictions are doing, and the process we will undertake in coming to a final decision for the Territory.
New South Wales and Victoria both have a spring break that coincides with the Olympics. They normally have a break at that time of year and therefore they have not had to make any significant changes to their school year. South Australia, with which our education system has many direct links, has significantly modified its term dates to accommodate the 2000 games. South Australia usually organises its school year on the basis of 10-week terms, with an 11-week term in alternate years. However, for 2000, it has confirmed an 11-week term, a 10-week term, an 8-week term and a 12-week term. The ACT has shortened its third term to 9 weeks to bring forward its spring break. Tasmania’s school year differs from the others in that it is organised on the basis of 3 terms instead of 4 and therefore there are a few things to be decided there.
We are in the process of consulting various interest groups as to the best steps to take. As I said, there is a possibility that we will make no changes. Alternatively, we may move some of the term breaks to permit a fortnight’s break during the Olympics. We will be consulting with the community with the undertaking that we will make a decision very shortly because there is a substantial lead time in preparing school years and diaries and the like. Over the next month or so, we will be making a decision, after a community consultation process, as to the best way to accommodate the wishes of the majority of Territorians.
Page 67
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Department of Education is considering various options for accommodating the 2000 Olympics. One is to change nothing in the 2000 school year while others offer a term break to accommodate the Olympics. I shall outline what some of the other jurisdictions are doing, and the process we will undertake in coming to a final decision for the Territory.
New South Wales and Victoria both have a spring break that coincides with the Olympics. They normally have a break at that time of year and therefore they have not had to make any significant changes to their school year. South Australia, with which our education system has many direct links, has significantly modified its term dates to accommodate the 2000 games. South Australia usually organises its school year on the basis of 10-week terms, with an 11-week term in alternate years. However, for 2000, it has confirmed an 11-week term, a 10-week term, an 8-week term and a 12-week term. The ACT has shortened its third term to 9 weeks to bring forward its spring break. Tasmania’s school year differs from the others in that it is organised on the basis of 3 terms instead of 4 and therefore there are a few things to be decided there.
We are in the process of consulting various interest groups as to the best steps to take. As I said, there is a possibility that we will make no changes. Alternatively, we may move some of the term breaks to permit a fortnight’s break during the Olympics. We will be consulting with the community with the undertaking that we will make a decision very shortly because there is a substantial lead time in preparing school years and diaries and the like. Over the next month or so, we will be making a decision, after a community consultation process, as to the best way to accommodate the wishes of the majority of Territorians.
Page 67
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016