❓ Question regarding protocols for kindergarten student safety after a bus incident in Darkan. The Minister outlines the incident, the immediate response, and ongoing support, placing initial responsibility on the bus contractor.
AnsweredQoN 560Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure today made a statement about the three kindergarten children who were left on a bus in Darkan. Has the Minister for Education and Training moved to put in place any protocols or processes for teachers, who have a duty of care for children once they are delivered to a school, to know whether something has happened to children on the way to school or whether they are away sick? I see it as the responsibility of the Minister for Education and Training to ensure that schools have protocols in place to let parents know or for parents to let schools know if children of kindergarten age are not at school. The PRESIDENT : Hon Barbara Scott has asked the question, which verges on anticipating an order of the day. However, I will permit a response by the Minister for Education and Training. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
The PRESIDENT : Hon Barbara Scott has asked the question, which verges on anticipating an order of the day. However, I will permit a response by the Minister for Education and Training. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
The PRESIDENT : Hon Barbara Scott has asked the question, which verges on anticipating an order of the day. However, I will permit a response by the Minister for Education and Training. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
Responsibility for this incident rests with the bus contractor, and that is why Hon Kate Doust, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, provided a statement to the house at the commencement of the sitting. That is not to suggest, honourable member, that this issue is not of significant interest to me. As Minister for Education and Training, I must be interested in the welfare of all students, and when such an incident occurs, it obviously needs to be looked at. On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
On the morning of Thursday, 25 August, the driver of a Darkan District High School bus delivered her passengers to the school site. This service is one of four bus services for Darkan District High School, and I am told that 104 students access the services. Each Tuesday and Thursday, the bus in question continues around the school oval to deliver the kindergarten students to their separate site. On this occasion, the driver forgot that she had three kindergarten students on board and drove straight on. The kindergarten teacher assumed that the children were absent due to illness, as there had been a recent spate of illness at the school - the teacher obviously made the wrong assumption. The bus driver drove the bus to her house, collected her belongings, locked the bus and walked inside her home. She returned to the bus about 2.45 pm to find the students still on board. She took the students to the kindergarten, at which the teacher toiletted them and gave them a drink. The deputy principal was notified, and he notified the parents of two students, with the parent of one student already being at the school. He also notified the principal. I am advised that the Narrogin district office has provided psychological services to the parents and the students involved. Further ongoing counselling services have been offered, and an offer on an ongoing needs basis has also been pledged. Ms Jan Workman, the district director of the Narrogin education district, interviewed parents, school administrators and the bus driver to clarify events. Ms Workman also met the Darkan bus committee, which considered the event and made recommendations for immediate changes to bus procedures.
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