❓ Mr Rundle questions the Minister for Education about a potential link between declining ATAR participation in regional areas and a lack of qualified teachers. The Minister refutes this, stating the drop is not region-specific and is due to a lack of student interest, not teacher availability, leading to a heated exchange.
AnsweredQoN 88Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY
ADMISSION RANK — PARTICIPATION
88. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister concerned that these numbers may be linked to a fall in regional
Australian tertiary admission rank participation due to many students not
having ATAR-qualified teachers in front of them and being restricted to School
of Isolated and Distance Education online learning?
ADMISSION RANK — PARTICIPATION
88. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister concerned that these numbers may be linked to a fall in regional
Australian tertiary admission rank participation due to many students not
having ATAR-qualified teachers in front of them and being restricted to School
of Isolated and Distance Education online learning?
AnswerView source ↗
Our concern is that there is an
overall drop. The drop is not happening just in the regions; it is happening in
the cities. The premise of the member's
question is completely wrong. It is not due to a lack of teachers at all. It is
due to the lack of students undertaking the course. For instance, last
week I was with Hon Hannah Beazley at the awards presentation at Government
House for general exhibition and subject exhibition winners and the Beazley
Medal. I had a conversation with a father afterwards whose son won one of the
subject awards. His other son is seeking to
do one of the higher level maths courses. There is not a lack of teachers at
the school; there are teachers there. The only problem is that he is the
only student who wants to do it. Do not try to create false narratives.
Mr P.J. Rundle : They aren't
even false.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Where is the
proof that there is a lack of ATAR teachers? Where?
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Where is the
evidence? The members know there is not.
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Do not mislead
this Parliament! I have been to many schools in the regions, as the member very
well knows.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : That
concludes question time.
overall drop. The drop is not happening just in the regions; it is happening in
the cities. The premise of the member's
question is completely wrong. It is not due to a lack of teachers at all. It is
due to the lack of students undertaking the course. For instance, last
week I was with Hon Hannah Beazley at the awards presentation at Government
House for general exhibition and subject exhibition winners and the Beazley
Medal. I had a conversation with a father afterwards whose son won one of the
subject awards. His other son is seeking to
do one of the higher level maths courses. There is not a lack of teachers at
the school; there are teachers there. The only problem is that he is the
only student who wants to do it. Do not try to create false narratives.
Mr P.J. Rundle : They aren't
even false.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Where is the
proof that there is a lack of ATAR teachers? Where?
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Where is the
evidence? The members know there is not.
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : Do not mislead
this Parliament! I have been to many schools in the regions, as the member very
well knows.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : That
concludes question time.
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