❓ Hon. Linda Savage asks about the government's intention to introduce mandatory alcohol and drug education in WA schools. The Minister responds that while the curriculum framework isn't mandated, schools still teach relevant content, and the Australian curriculum will contain similar material. A comprehensive drug education program (SDERA) is already available.
AnsweredQoN 539Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ALCOHOL AND DRUG EDUCATION
539. Hon LINDA SAVAGE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the letter written to all members of Parliament
dated 14 June 2012 from the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth,
and to the Education and Health Standing Committee's tenth report, ''Alcohol:
Reducing the Harm and Curbing the Culture of Excess''. Does the
government intend to introduce mandatory, well-supported alcohol and drug
education as a specific component in the curriculum for all Western Australian
school students?
539. Hon LINDA SAVAGE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the letter written to all members of Parliament
dated 14 June 2012 from the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth,
and to the Education and Health Standing Committee's tenth report, ''Alcohol:
Reducing the Harm and Curbing the Culture of Excess''. Does the
government intend to introduce mandatory, well-supported alcohol and drug
education as a specific component in the curriculum for all Western Australian
school students?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
Although the WA ''Curriculum Council Framework''
is no longer a mandated document for Western Australian teachers, they will
continue to use the health and physical education content to plan teaching and
learning programs to meet the students' needs and relevant community
issues. Alcohol and other drug–related content within the framework includes
developing knowledge, understanding and skills related to the health and social
consequences of alcohol use and the prevention of drug-related harm. Students
also learn to manage the influence of the media, peers and others and recognise
the impact of the misuse of alcohol and other drugs on self and others. In
later years students learn about taking action to reduce the impact of harmful
and hazardous drug use to individuals and communities. The Australian
curriculum in health and physical education is currently in development and
will contain similar content to the curriculum framework. Western Australian
schools will implement this curriculum once it has been approved by ministers.
Western Australia currently has a comprehensive drug education program freely
available to all schools in Western Australia. School Drug Education and Road
Aware—SDERA—was established in 1997 to implement some
recommendations of the WA Task Force on Drug Abuse and the drug education
component of the strategy is entirely funded by the state government.
question.
Although the WA ''Curriculum Council Framework''
is no longer a mandated document for Western Australian teachers, they will
continue to use the health and physical education content to plan teaching and
learning programs to meet the students' needs and relevant community
issues. Alcohol and other drug–related content within the framework includes
developing knowledge, understanding and skills related to the health and social
consequences of alcohol use and the prevention of drug-related harm. Students
also learn to manage the influence of the media, peers and others and recognise
the impact of the misuse of alcohol and other drugs on self and others. In
later years students learn about taking action to reduce the impact of harmful
and hazardous drug use to individuals and communities. The Australian
curriculum in health and physical education is currently in development and
will contain similar content to the curriculum framework. Western Australian
schools will implement this curriculum once it has been approved by ministers.
Western Australia currently has a comprehensive drug education program freely
available to all schools in Western Australia. School Drug Education and Road
Aware—SDERA—was established in 1997 to implement some
recommendations of the WA Task Force on Drug Abuse and the drug education
component of the strategy is entirely funded by the state government.
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