Labor bottom of the class on education
Monday, 05 December 2011 08:05
Dr Bruce Flegg MPShadow Minister for Education Shadow Minsiter for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PartnershipsLNP Member for Moggill3 December 2011
Labor bottom of the class on education
Labor hadn’t bothered examining the LNP’s independent schools policy carefully before slamming it, the State Opposition said today.
“This tired, 20-year-old Labor government has nothing new to offer to improve education in Queensland so it’s resorted to its traditional tactic of scare mongering,” Shadow Minister for Education Dr Bruce Flegg said.
On Tuesday the LNP announced that it would grant 120 Queensland schools greater autonomy so they can deliver high quality education outcomes for their students with less bureaucracy.
Participation in the scheme is entirely voluntary to allow schools to make the best decision for their schools.
Dr Flegg said school autonomy is recognised globally for helping to lift education standards with Federal Labor recently offering half a billion dollars to help implement school autonomy.
“It’s obvious that the Queensland minister is not aware of what is happening federally.
“Schools need to focus on areas such as behaviour management, literacy, numeracy, English as a second language (ESL) and students with learning difficulties.
“It makes sense that these outcomes can be expected to improve if schools are given more say over budgets, teaching resources, teachers and what their curriculum offers.
“It is the schools, the parents, and the local community which understand the depth of problems - and can best address them.
“Unfortunately Queensland Labor is again playing petty politics. It backflipped on its recent discussion papers about granting greater autonomy to schools after the LNP made a commitment to delivering this reform. It’s focussed on running a scare campaign rather than improving education,” Dr Flegg said.
“Parents have been voting with their feet by not sending their children to public schools.
“The rollout of IPS schools in Queensland will be carefully and thoroughly planned. Teachers working in remote areas, and in difficult communities who have been promised a job when they return to a major regional or metropolitan centre will not be disadvantaged under this policy.
“A CanDo LNP Government will work with schools, principals, and parents to improve education outcomes in Queensland.”
Media Contact - Dr Bruce Flegg 3378 8020