Ms FYLES - 2014-08-26
It shows a lack of judgment to cut the Education budget by $15m. You cannot improve educational outcomes by ripping money out of our public schools. You then try to pretend only 35 teaching jobs have gone when the real figure is at least 125. Last year, you even opposed more money for better schools from the federal government, which would have benefited our most remote schools. Your plans for global budgeting are yet another lack of judgment and nothing more than an excuse for more cuts. The AEU and COGSO opposed the CLP’s education cuts and are extremely concerned about the ill-advised global school budgets being rammed through our schools.
When will you realise your lack of judgment is hurting Territory students and reverse these funding cuts?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. I refute some of the things she said in her question. For regional and remote education, the level of outcomes for child education, particularly when you look at the NAPLAN results, is unsatisfactory on a national scale.
It was an embarrassment coming into government after eleven-and-a-half years and seeing those results, aside from the fact Labor was in charge for that long. There are children graduating in the Northern Territory who cannot read and write. The number of proficient and successful education outcomes we were receiving in certain geographical areas of the Northern Territory was quite sad, from my point of view, no matter what side of the Chamber you sit on.
We have to find better ways to support our students in gaining better educational outcomes. Identifying ways to do that is a challenge, and is why I am working closely with the Minister for Education to undertake three review processes around middle years, remote education and so forth, looking at the curriculum to see if it is right ...
Ms Fyles: There are 125 teachers gone from our schools. It is just an excuse to cut. Subject choice is gone, the GEMS program is gone ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nightcliff, cease interjecting.
Mr GILES: We are now looking at things like Direct Instruction to identify ways to provide a continuity of education …
Ms Fyles: Only anecdotal evidence.
Mr GILES: … for some students in the Northern Territory.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, I asked you to cease interjecting. Leave the Chamber for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
Mr GILES: Yes, we have made some changes to the student/teacher ratio. We are still the lowest in the country when it comes to face-to-face teaching in a classroom, but we are looking at new ways of doing things so we can strengthen education in the Territory.
On one hand, we are building the biggest, strongest economy we can into the future, but we also want the best and brightest students to come out of the lower end of school, from their junior, primary, middle and senior years. We also work closely with CDU to ensure we create pathways to support those students to become employees of excellence who can support a growing economy in the Northern Territory.
However, you must go back to the start to get the foundations and the basics right. That is why we conducted the Wilson review and put $40m extra into education facilities.
Regarding the assertion about not getting money from the federal government, we received well above what we were offered for Gonski. We have much better money coming in resource-wise, which means we can invest more in education to make sure our students have higher levels of expertise, skills and experience when they come out of the education system at the end of their schooling.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
When will you realise your lack of judgment is hurting Territory students and reverse these funding cuts?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. I refute some of the things she said in her question. For regional and remote education, the level of outcomes for child education, particularly when you look at the NAPLAN results, is unsatisfactory on a national scale.
It was an embarrassment coming into government after eleven-and-a-half years and seeing those results, aside from the fact Labor was in charge for that long. There are children graduating in the Northern Territory who cannot read and write. The number of proficient and successful education outcomes we were receiving in certain geographical areas of the Northern Territory was quite sad, from my point of view, no matter what side of the Chamber you sit on.
We have to find better ways to support our students in gaining better educational outcomes. Identifying ways to do that is a challenge, and is why I am working closely with the Minister for Education to undertake three review processes around middle years, remote education and so forth, looking at the curriculum to see if it is right ...
Ms Fyles: There are 125 teachers gone from our schools. It is just an excuse to cut. Subject choice is gone, the GEMS program is gone ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nightcliff, cease interjecting.
Mr GILES: We are now looking at things like Direct Instruction to identify ways to provide a continuity of education …
Ms Fyles: Only anecdotal evidence.
Mr GILES: … for some students in the Northern Territory.
_______________________
Suspension of Member
Member for Nightcliff
Member for Nightcliff
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nightcliff, I asked you to cease interjecting. Leave the Chamber for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A.
_______________________
Mr GILES: Yes, we have made some changes to the student/teacher ratio. We are still the lowest in the country when it comes to face-to-face teaching in a classroom, but we are looking at new ways of doing things so we can strengthen education in the Territory.
On one hand, we are building the biggest, strongest economy we can into the future, but we also want the best and brightest students to come out of the lower end of school, from their junior, primary, middle and senior years. We also work closely with CDU to ensure we create pathways to support those students to become employees of excellence who can support a growing economy in the Northern Territory.
However, you must go back to the start to get the foundations and the basics right. That is why we conducted the Wilson review and put $40m extra into education facilities.
Regarding the assertion about not getting money from the federal government, we received well above what we were offered for Gonski. We have much better money coming in resource-wise, which means we can invest more in education to make sure our students have higher levels of expertise, skills and experience when they come out of the education system at the end of their schooling.
Mr ELFERINK (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016