❓ Hon Simon O'Brien questions the Minister for Education and Training about visits to Kimberley schools and initiatives to address truancy and violence. The Minister acknowledges the issues and outlines steps being taken, including prioritising Aboriginal education at a national level.
AnsweredQoN 147Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
KIMBERLEY SCHOOLS
(1) Has the minister visited schools in the Kimberley to obtain first-hand information about problems, including truancy and violence towards teachers? (2) If so, what initiatives has the minister taken to address those problems? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
(1) Has the minister visited schools in the Kimberley to obtain first-hand information about problems, including truancy and violence towards teachers? (2) If so, what initiatives has the minister taken to address those problems? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
(2) If so, what initiatives has the minister taken to address those problems? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
(1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
(2) If so, what initiatives has the minister taken to address those problems? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
(1)-(2) No, I have not. I am assuming Hon Simon O’Brien is referring to indigenous communities. Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : Will you be going up there? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Yes, I will be going up there. I have scheduled trips to that region on a number of occasions. On one occasion a funeral was being held and, as a consequence, it was not possible to go on account of the fact that no-one was going to be there. That is a key reason I have not travelled to the Kimberley. I had been there on a number of occasions as the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development. Obviously it is a very big state. There are 750 government schools alone. Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : There are 777. Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : Okay. Between 130 and 140 schools have been visited. Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon Simon O’Brien : With the Kimberley in particular, is that a priority for you with some of the reports you’ve had done? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH : It has to be a priority. Having started my education career as an Aboriginal education teacher, I am aware of some of the challenges that we have in areas throughout the Kimberley, but they are not confined to the Kimberley alone. Many of the issues, particularly in relation to Aboriginal education, are present in other parts of the state. Not all indigenous education environments are bad. There is a real mix. For example, Ngalapita Remote Community School last year won the Premier’s Reading Challenge. That is an outstanding example of how an indigenous community has come together and worked very positively, and how it values education very highly. Obviously, there have been issues in Halls Creek, but that is not an isolated case. A wide range of programs and a significant amount of funding have gone into that school. Some of the issues are not isolated to that area. There are schools in Port Hedland, Newman and surrounding areas that have some of the same challenges. That is a priority. I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
I place on record one of the first things I did when I became Minister for Education and Training, at my first meeting of the Ministerial Council on Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Western Australia moved a motion to make Aboriginal education a priority for all states and territories over the next five years. In fact, a working party was set up by MCEETYA and chaired by the director general of Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training, Mr Paul Albert. A very good draft report has recently been produced. I am hoping that it will be ticked off by all the state ministers when we go to MCEETYA in about a month’s time. If we can get that ticked off, it will be a significant step forward in finding some very practical solutions to some of the challenging educational issues we face, particularly in remote rural and Aboriginal schools.
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