[Greens-Media] Good for some or good for all

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT GREENS MLA DEB FOSKEY MEDIA RELEASE
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20 June 2007



Good for some or good for all?

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey today expressed her concerns that the ACT
Government has no vision for a school system that provides a quality
education for all.

"Australian schools deliver good outcomes for most kids, but it is
increasingly a two tiered system, leaving a lot of young people behind"
Dr Foskey said.

"That is not just about government or non-government schools. Australian
schools overall fail too many of their students, even though high
achievers and the better off, as a rule, do very well."

"On top of that, the kids most likely to fall behind go to government
schools - in part because their parents lack choice or interest." 
 
"That is why we should be concerned that the ACT government system has
no demonstrated strategy to narrow the gap."

"That is particularly obvious at the high school level when the impact
of this two tier system is most marked."

 "This Government has had three years to put a strategy in place. It is
a pity that it appears to be leaving it to the last budget of this term
to deliver on its 2004 election promises, which offered more student
support."

 "The Minister points to increased ICT, arts and sports expenditure, and
I recognise that good facilities can make the difference to some of
these high school students."

"Nonetheless the ACT had an education system that was the best
Australia, but it is now slipping." 

This Government has been unable to explain to the Estimates Committee
how it is coherently addressing problems of inequity that are becoming
embedded in our schools" Dr Foskey said.


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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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