Mr BONSON - 2005-03-22
How are the government’s attendance officers and alternative education programs helping to build better schools in Central Australia?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. They hate good news stories, this mob. The poor old member for Drysdale grimaces and clenches his teeth. However, we love it. I actually love getting up and delivering good news about what the Department of Employment, Education and Training is doing.
In 2004, the attendance officer based in Alice Springs identified 127 students not attending school and, of those students, 109 were subsequently enrolled in schools. It is simply not a case of rounding these students up and enrolling them at school because, often, the underlying causes of why they are not in school in the first place still remain. These students will often require quite intensive ongoing support in order to remain within the school system.
The attendance officer here has established very strong links with various alternative education programs, as well as indigenous communities and organisations in Alice Springs, in providing that level of support that these students need. These include Tangentyere Council, Young Mums Program at the Gap Youth Centre, Alice Springs Accommodation and Support Services, the Reconnect Program, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Aboriginal Hostels, and the Deadly Mob Internet Caf.
Alternative education programs for students at risk are now established at Alice Springs High School, Gillen Primary, Sadadeen Primary, as well as the School to Work Program at ANZAC Hill High School and Irrkerlantye Learning Centre. There are over 200 students involved in alternative education programs in Alice Springs. These are students who would, in all likelihood, be otherwise on the streets of Alice Springs. They are now positioned to re-enter mainstream programs in pursuit of their NTCE. Madam Speaker, as Minister for Education, can I hope for anything better than that?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. They hate good news stories, this mob. The poor old member for Drysdale grimaces and clenches his teeth. However, we love it. I actually love getting up and delivering good news about what the Department of Employment, Education and Training is doing.
In 2004, the attendance officer based in Alice Springs identified 127 students not attending school and, of those students, 109 were subsequently enrolled in schools. It is simply not a case of rounding these students up and enrolling them at school because, often, the underlying causes of why they are not in school in the first place still remain. These students will often require quite intensive ongoing support in order to remain within the school system.
The attendance officer here has established very strong links with various alternative education programs, as well as indigenous communities and organisations in Alice Springs, in providing that level of support that these students need. These include Tangentyere Council, Young Mums Program at the Gap Youth Centre, Alice Springs Accommodation and Support Services, the Reconnect Program, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Aboriginal Hostels, and the Deadly Mob Internet Caf.
Alternative education programs for students at risk are now established at Alice Springs High School, Gillen Primary, Sadadeen Primary, as well as the School to Work Program at ANZAC Hill High School and Irrkerlantye Learning Centre. There are over 200 students involved in alternative education programs in Alice Springs. These are students who would, in all likelihood, be otherwise on the streets of Alice Springs. They are now positioned to re-enter mainstream programs in pursuit of their NTCE. Madam Speaker, as Minister for Education, can I hope for anything better than that?
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016