Mr HATTON - 1995-08-22
Mr HATTON (Education and Training): Mr Speaker, during Question Time, the member for MacDonnell asked a question concerning staffing at Imanpa School. In his question, he alleged that one teacher only is provided at that school to teach 41 students. I undertook to check the veracity of what the member was alleging and provide a response. I now provide that response.
The member for MacDonnell raised this matter in debate in this House last Wednesday. Looking at the transcript of that debate, it becomes clear how little attention he actually pays to what is said. During that debate, my contribution was made 3 or 4 speakers before he spoke, but he asked: `Have we heard from the Minister for Education and Training in this debate yet?' He asked that because, at the time when I spoke, he had shot through. I assume that he had gone for his nightly run while we continued the debate. He returned to the Chamber, huffing and puffing about his desperate concern about education in the Northern Territory. While others in this parliament were sitting in this Chamber working, he was out for his afternoon run.
I have had a check made, and the advice I have from the department is that Imanpa School has an enrolment of 27. I will detail the enrolments and attendances recorded on the check days during the course of this year: on 24 February, 27 were enrolled and 22 attended; on 26 March, 27 were enrolled and 19 attended; on 12 May, 22 were enrolled and 17 attended; on 9 June, 18 were enrolled and 13 attended; July was the school holidays; and, in August, 29 were enrolled and 25 attended. I understand that there was a teacher in attendance, plus an Aboriginal teaching assistant allocated to that school. Whether the Aboriginal teacher assistant was actually present when the member for MacDonnell was there, I cannot say. Policy advice given to me is that, when enrolments approach 28, a review of staffing takes place and consideration is then given to whether or not to increase the staffing.
During the course of last Wednesday's debate, the member for MacDonnell castigated the department for looking at the number of children attending rather than only the number of enrolments. It is all very well to say that. In the course of that debate, he alleged that, by not providing a teacher when no children were actually attending the school, somehow we were allowing truancy and absenteeism to continue. That is far from the case. We are seeking actively to encourage full attendance at the school. However, if, for example, a school had an enrolment of 20 or 30 students but only 10 attended the school at any one time, should the Department of Education place 2 or 3 teachers at that school to teach 10 students? Is that an appropriate response? No, the appropriate response is to work with the community to increase the level of attendance at the school, and to encourage parental and community commitment in that regard. As the local member, the member for MacDonnell can do much to assist in that process. Certainly, if the attendances increase - and that is what we want - we will provide staffing in accordance with the formula to achieve the results.
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The member for MacDonnell raised this matter in debate in this House last Wednesday. Looking at the transcript of that debate, it becomes clear how little attention he actually pays to what is said. During that debate, my contribution was made 3 or 4 speakers before he spoke, but he asked: `Have we heard from the Minister for Education and Training in this debate yet?' He asked that because, at the time when I spoke, he had shot through. I assume that he had gone for his nightly run while we continued the debate. He returned to the Chamber, huffing and puffing about his desperate concern about education in the Northern Territory. While others in this parliament were sitting in this Chamber working, he was out for his afternoon run.
I have had a check made, and the advice I have from the department is that Imanpa School has an enrolment of 27. I will detail the enrolments and attendances recorded on the check days during the course of this year: on 24 February, 27 were enrolled and 22 attended; on 26 March, 27 were enrolled and 19 attended; on 12 May, 22 were enrolled and 17 attended; on 9 June, 18 were enrolled and 13 attended; July was the school holidays; and, in August, 29 were enrolled and 25 attended. I understand that there was a teacher in attendance, plus an Aboriginal teaching assistant allocated to that school. Whether the Aboriginal teacher assistant was actually present when the member for MacDonnell was there, I cannot say. Policy advice given to me is that, when enrolments approach 28, a review of staffing takes place and consideration is then given to whether or not to increase the staffing.
During the course of last Wednesday's debate, the member for MacDonnell castigated the department for looking at the number of children attending rather than only the number of enrolments. It is all very well to say that. In the course of that debate, he alleged that, by not providing a teacher when no children were actually attending the school, somehow we were allowing truancy and absenteeism to continue. That is far from the case. We are seeking actively to encourage full attendance at the school. However, if, for example, a school had an enrolment of 20 or 30 students but only 10 attended the school at any one time, should the Department of Education place 2 or 3 teachers at that school to teach 10 students? Is that an appropriate response? No, the appropriate response is to work with the community to increase the level of attendance at the school, and to encourage parental and community commitment in that regard. As the local member, the member for MacDonnell can do much to assist in that process. Certainly, if the attendances increase - and that is what we want - we will provide staffing in accordance with the formula to achieve the results.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016