❓ Hon. Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding the number of senior financial consultants employed to support schools, particularly in light of the increasing number of independent public schools. The Minister provides figures on consultant numbers and outlines support mechanisms, deferring further action until the impact of the independent school program is clearer.
AnsweredQoN 242Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS —
SENIOR FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS
242. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I extend my welcome to the former member as well.
(1) How many
school senior financial consultants were employed to provide advice and
assistance to schools in —
� (a) 2009–10;
� (b) 2010–11;
� (c) 2011–12;
� (d) 2012–13;
� (e) 2013–14; and
� (f) 2014–15 to date?
(2) Given the
government's policy to increase the number of independent public
schools, will the current number of financial consultants be sufficient to
provide advice and assistance to schools with the greater financial workload?
(3) If no to
(2), does the government intend to employ more consultants to provide this
assistance; and if so, how many and when?
SENIOR FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS
242. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I extend my welcome to the former member as well.
(1) How many
school senior financial consultants were employed to provide advice and
assistance to schools in —
� (a) 2009–10;
� (b) 2010–11;
� (c) 2011–12;
� (d) 2012–13;
� (e) 2013–14; and
� (f) 2014–15 to date?
(2) Given the
government's policy to increase the number of independent public
schools, will the current number of financial consultants be sufficient to
provide advice and assistance to schools with the greater financial workload?
(3) If no to
(2), does the government intend to employ more consultants to provide this
assistance; and if so, how many and when?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) (a) 22.7 full-time equivalents;
� (b) 22.7 full-time equivalents;
� (c) 23.2 full-time equivalents;
� (d) 23.2 full-time equivalents;
� (e) 23.2 full-time equivalent to 1 November 2013
and nine full-time equivalents from 1 November 2013; and
� (f) not applicable as the financial year has
not yet commenced.
(2) Additional
workload associated with financial management in independent public schools
occurs predominantly in the early stages of implementation. Significant
planning is going into the development and delivery of transition training to
support principals, business managers and registrars for the greater
flexibility and autonomy of independent public schools. Any central resource
implications will be reviewed when the number of schools that are successful in
achieving independent public school status is known—that is, in the
current cohort. I think that about 240 schools have made an application. The
school senior finance consultants are not the only officers providing support
to independent public schools. A team of four provides support in the operation
of the one-line budget. Further support is also available through the systems
support team of six full-time equivalents assisting schools with the processing
and maintenance of the school's accounting system.
(3) Not applicable.
question.
(1) (a) 22.7 full-time equivalents;
� (b) 22.7 full-time equivalents;
� (c) 23.2 full-time equivalents;
� (d) 23.2 full-time equivalents;
� (e) 23.2 full-time equivalent to 1 November 2013
and nine full-time equivalents from 1 November 2013; and
� (f) not applicable as the financial year has
not yet commenced.
(2) Additional
workload associated with financial management in independent public schools
occurs predominantly in the early stages of implementation. Significant
planning is going into the development and delivery of transition training to
support principals, business managers and registrars for the greater
flexibility and autonomy of independent public schools. Any central resource
implications will be reviewed when the number of schools that are successful in
achieving independent public school status is known—that is, in the
current cohort. I think that about 240 schools have made an application. The
school senior finance consultants are not the only officers providing support
to independent public schools. A team of four provides support in the operation
of the one-line budget. Further support is also available through the systems
support team of six full-time equivalents assisting schools with the processing
and maintenance of the school's accounting system.
(3) Not applicable.
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