Debates Day 4 - Tuesday 9 May 2017
Parliamentary Record 5
Debates for 13th Assembly 2016 - 2018; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020
2017-05-09
pp 1623 to 1686
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES Tuesday 9 May 2017 1651 2. stronger pathways from school to continue education, VET in schools and school-based apprenticeships 3. health and wellbeing to support personal growth and resilience amongst students 4. a dedicated secondary school site 5. a special needs class that reflects the needs of Maningrida as one of our largest bush towns. School attendance remains a challenge and directly impacts students outcomes. It is not good enough to go to school part-time. Education is a full-time and lifelong commitment. This is a key challenge for parents, kids, community, and government. School attendance, especially poor attendance on Fridays, has to be tackled to ensure the learning outcomes we all want to help secure a stable and growing school budget that enables the school to invest confidentially for the future. Lastly, I cannot leave mention of Maningrida School without touching on the outstanding school-based ranger program there. It exemplifies the way to establish strong pathways between school and opportunity, as well as underpinning active learning of science and life skills. At Warruwi, Goulburn Island, there is a great little school led by Principal Daryll Kinnane. It is clear to me on my visits to that community that the school is a central and valued part of the community, including providing a key community cyclone shelter when needed. There is a great team spirit evident among staff, and it is a joy to see the kids enjoying school life and actively participating in class work. This is one of the sites where Direct Instruction appears to be working for that community. Whilst I know this approach does not work for all school communities, this shows that the school needs to have flexibility to use education tools that work for their community and students. This is another example of our approach to Indigenous education, getting away from the centrally-driven model advocated by the CLP and allowing more local decision-making about the tools that work best in each of our communities to meet local needs and circumstances. Investing in the early years is critical, and programs like Families as First Teachers have proven to be very successful in engaging parents and families in the education and growing up of their little ones. It would be wonderful to see the roll-out of FaFT in Semester 2 on Melville Island in the Tiwis and at Milikapiti and Pularumpi schools. Warruwi School on Croker Island would also see FaFT delivered in Semester 2. As the minister said, we need to do more. We know we have a long way to go, but I believe we are on the right path. While 2016 saw a record number of students attain an NT Certificate of Education and Training out of the total of almost 1400, we need to see more than 221 Indigenous students complete their NTCET, and we need more than 15 Indigenous students from remote area schools to complete this training. Ms NELSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I request an extension of time for the member, pursuant to Standing Order 43. Motion agreed to. Mr COSTA: I am proud to be part of a Labor government which puts children front and centre of government with solid evidence-based policies. I am humbled to represent the communities of Arafura and support them with their aspirations. Their children are at the centre of their lives and they know that education is their passport to the future. Ms FYLES (Health): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak in support of the Minister for Educations statement on her vision, and this governments vision, for education in the Northern Territory. Education is the key to changing lives. It is the key to empowering young people. It is the key to empowering communities. Whether it is an urban or regional context, or the bush contextsuch as what the member just spoke so passionately aboutschools and education are the heart of our communities. A number of us on this side of the House were involved in education before we came to parliament. I look back on that time with very fond memories. It is wonderful to see the young people whose lives you were involved in now as adults contributing successfully to our communities. Education is the key to the Northern