❓ Mr. Woodhams questions the Minister for Education and Training about the number, location, and subjects taught by Aboriginal teachers, and government recruitment efforts. The Minister provides statistics and outlines a conversion course and scholarship programs aimed at increasing Aboriginal teacher numbers.
AnsweredQoN 715Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS -
ABORIGINAL TEACHERS WITH FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT
715. Mr G. WOODHAMS to the Minister for Education and
Training:
Given the recent release of reports into Aboriginal
employment in this place and the government's planned Aboriginal
employment forum next week, and given the poor retention rate of Aboriginal
students in our high schools, despite years 11 and 12 being compulsory, I ask -
(1) How many
Aboriginal teachers are permanently employed by the Department of Education and
Training?
(2) How many
of those teachers teach in regional Western Australia?
(3) What subjects do they teach?
(4) What is
the government doing to recruit more Aboriginal people into full-time teaching
positions?
ABORIGINAL TEACHERS WITH FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT
715. Mr G. WOODHAMS to the Minister for Education and
Training:
Given the recent release of reports into Aboriginal
employment in this place and the government's planned Aboriginal
employment forum next week, and given the poor retention rate of Aboriginal
students in our high schools, despite years 11 and 12 being compulsory, I ask -
(1) How many
Aboriginal teachers are permanently employed by the Department of Education and
Training?
(2) How many
of those teachers teach in regional Western Australia?
(3) What subjects do they teach?
(4) What is
the government doing to recruit more Aboriginal people into full-time teaching
positions?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Greenough for the question.
(1)-(4) The
Department of Education and Training employs 88 permanent Aboriginal classroom
teachers, of which 65 teach in regional Western Australia and 23 teach in the
metropolitan area. Of those 88 teachers,
79 are primary school teachers, eight are secondary teachers and one teaches in
education support. The Department of
Education and Training, in partnership with Curtin University of Technology,
has in place a conversion course for Aboriginal and Islander education
officers. This national award-winning
program has resulted in 22 Aboriginal teachers being employed since the program
began in 2002. It is anticipated that 28
AIEOs will graduate in 2007 and commence teaching in 2008. They will be given priority placement, with
an emphasis on returning to their communities. Permanency will be offered after 12 months instead of the normal two
years. Another cohort of 60 AIEOs will
commence a two-year course in 2008. Annually, the department offers five scholarships to Aboriginal final
year teaching graduates and encourages Aboriginal graduates to apply for
mainstream scholarships.
(1)-(4) The
Department of Education and Training employs 88 permanent Aboriginal classroom
teachers, of which 65 teach in regional Western Australia and 23 teach in the
metropolitan area. Of those 88 teachers,
79 are primary school teachers, eight are secondary teachers and one teaches in
education support. The Department of
Education and Training, in partnership with Curtin University of Technology,
has in place a conversion course for Aboriginal and Islander education
officers. This national award-winning
program has resulted in 22 Aboriginal teachers being employed since the program
began in 2002. It is anticipated that 28
AIEOs will graduate in 2007 and commence teaching in 2008. They will be given priority placement, with
an emphasis on returning to their communities. Permanency will be offered after 12 months instead of the normal two
years. Another cohort of 60 AIEOs will
commence a two-year course in 2008. Annually, the department offers five scholarships to Aboriginal final
year teaching graduates and encourages Aboriginal graduates to apply for
mainstream scholarships.
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