Australia: Education a key battlefront in tightly contested WA election

Australia/Marzo de 2017/Autora: Chelsea Attard/Fuente: Educacion Hq

RESUMEN: Cuando los educadores acudan a las urnas para las elecciones del 11 de marzo en WA, nuevas escuelas, fondos, asistentes de educación y el programa de Escuelas Seguras estarán al frente. Al dirigirse a la elección, el Ministro de Educación de Washington, Peter Collier, ha estado orgullosamente destacando la labor realizada por el Gobierno Nacional-Liberal hasta ahora. «Los últimos años han sido un período de reforma sin precedentes en la educación en Australia Occidental», dijo. «El Gobierno Nacional-Liberal ha ampliado la iniciativa de Escuelas Públicas Independientes, con 524 escuelas públicas ahora disfrutando de los beneficios de mayor flexibilidad y autonomía.

When educators go to the polls for the March 11 state election in WA, new schools, funding, education assistants and the Safe Schools program will be front of mind.

Heading in to the election, WA Education Minister Peter Collier has been proudly spruiking the work done by the Liberal-National Government so far.

“The past few years have been a period of unparalleled reform in education in Western Australia,” he said.

“The Liberal-National Government has expanded the Independent Public Schools initiative, with 524 public schools now enjoying the benefits of increased flexibility and autonomy.

“We have also implemented major changes to the Western Australian Certificate of Education, including a new requirement for students to demonstrate a minimum literacy and numeracy standard.”

Collier said WA’s public schools are among the best resourced in the nation, with higher per‑student funding than any other State.

“Spending on education has increased by 70.3 per [cent] since 2008,” he said.

Shadow Minister for Education Sue Ellery however, is quick to remind voters of more recent cuts to education spending, and Labor’s plans to address the cuts.

“In Western Australia parents and educators all know the State Liberal Government has cut over $200 million from schools since 2013,» she said.

“A McGowan Labor Government has a plan to address these cuts, which includes putting teachers, education assistants and Aboriginal Islander education officers back in the classroom.”

In 2013 the Barnett Government cut 406 education assistant positions, which the opposition plans to reverse, announcing 470 new classroom support jobs, including 300 education assistant roles.

“Our Western Australian schools are equipped with dedicated teachers and staff but, more than ever, they are facing complex challenges, like behavioural and mental health issues.

“By placing more support in our classroom, teachers can focus on doing what they do best – educating our children,” Ellery said.

Overcrowding in Perth’s western suburbs schools is an issue both parties plan to tackle.

“The Liberal-National Government has already committed more than $180 million to the western suburbs secondary schooling strategy, which includes the construction of Stage 1 of City Beach College on the former City Beach High School site, as well as expansions to Churchlands Senior High School, Shenton College and Carine Senior High School,” Collier said.

“As part of the overall western suburbs strategy, a re‑elected Liberal-led Government will invest $39 million to expand capacity at Mount Lawley Senior High School and $60 million to redevelop and expand capacity at Balcatta Senior High School.”

But Ellery believes simply upgrading already existing schools is not enough and that there is much more work to be done in these growing suburbs.

“Current building works do not include enough provisions for schools in the rapidly growing corridors of Perth which means schools are turning to staggered assembly times and some primary schools have dozens of transportable classrooms on site,” she said.

“A McGowan Labor Government is committed to improving government planning for new schools in WA and will review the planning methodology that is currently being used by the Department.”

“We will alleviate overcrowding by building a purpose built facility in the new Perth City Link precinct to house the new academic select school and Scitech.

“We will also re-establish on the current Perth Modern School site, on the city side of the western suburbs, a new local intake secondary school, including refurbished facilities to cater for an additional 200 students,” she added.

Labor has also pledged, if elected, to fund the Safe Schools anti-bullying program in any school interested in adopting it.

So far under the Barnett Government, take up of the program has been low, with just 29 out of 1109 schools using the program, The Australian newspaper reported.

Collier has previously called Safe Schools “almost offensive” and said it can alienate LBGQTI students.

Fuente: http://au.educationhq.com/news/38315/education-a-key-battlefront-in-tightly-contested-wa-election/#