❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the discontinuation of funding for Indigenous literacy and numeracy tuition in juvenile detention centres due to a treasury error, and the minister's assurance to reinstate the program.
AnsweredQoN 810Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JUVENILE DETENTION CENTRES — INDIGENOUS LITERACY AND NUMERACY TUITION
In 2008 the commonwealth provided funding for Western Australian juvenile detention centres to provide Indigenous literacy and numeracy tuition. In 2009 the specific purpose payment came directly to WA Treasury under the national education agreement. Will the minister explain why this funding for Indigenous students was discontinued and will she give an assurance that the program, which was very successful, will be reinstated as a matter of urgency? Dr E. CONSTABLE
In 2008 the commonwealth provided funding for Western Australian juvenile detention centres to provide Indigenous literacy and numeracy tuition. In 2009 the specific purpose payment came directly to WA Treasury under the national education agreement. Will the minister explain why this funding for Indigenous students was discontinued and will she give an assurance that the program, which was very successful, will be reinstated as a matter of urgency? Dr E. CONSTABLE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for notice of this question. She has raised a very important issue indeed. Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for notice of this question. She has raised a very important issue indeed. Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for notice of this question. She has raised a very important issue indeed. Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for notice of this question. She has raised a very important issue indeed. Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for notice of this question. She has raised a very important issue indeed. Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
Prior to 2009 the Department of Education and Training was responsible for the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme in-class tuition for only years 4, 6 and 8 students. In fact, in 2008 the Department of Education and Training spent $3.86 million on the ITAS in-class tuition program. Prior to 2009 all the other elements of the ITAS program were managed by the commonwealth, but this year there was a change and all those funds were transferred from the commonwealth to the Department of Treasury and Finance. The Department of Treasury and Finance mistakenly transferred all those funds to the Department of Education and Training, whereas previously funds had gone directly to the Department of Corrective Services. The Department of Education and Training does not provide any tuition of any sort to juveniles in detention centres; that is all provided through the Department of Corrective Services. Recently the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Corrective Services identified a sum of money—$326 000—which should have been transferred initially from the Department of Treasury and Finance to the Department of Corrective Services but which was mistakenly transferred to DET. I have instructed the Department of Education and Training to transfer those funds as a matter of urgency so that they can be used in detention centres for those students needing that extra tuition. This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
This year, in years 4 and 6, 1 317 students receive this extra tuition; in years 8 to 10, 1 093; and in years 11 and 12, 648; with another 696 students in the Follow the Dream program receiving funding. It is very important funding, and extremely important for those youngsters in detention centres. The results of this extra funding are improved attendance, improved behaviour, students far more engaged and on task with their schoolwork, and moderate to high growth in literacy and numeracy results. This funding is very important to us, and now I am sure that the member for Alfred Cove will be delighted to know that that funding will be directed where it should have been directed originally.
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