[Greens-Media] Media Release: Chinese Government teaching children inside NSW schools

[David Shoebridge MLC]

*Media Release: Chinese Government teaching children inside NSW schools *

The Baird Coalition government is running cover for an unaccountable
program of language and culture instruction delivered by Chinese
government-appointed teachers in 13 NSW public schools and 2 private
schools. The teaching is done by the "Confucius Institute" an organisation
that is entirely run, owned and controlled by the Chinese Government.

See report in the SMH here
<http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/behind-confucius-classrooms-the-chinese-government-agency-teaching-nsw-school-students-20160525-gp3882.html>
.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli revealed in answers to questions on
notice in Parliament that his the NSW Government is unable or unwilling to
effectively regulate 'Confucius Classrooms'.

The answers exposed the lack of effective assurance of:

•The qualifications of teachers and their working with children background
checking, which are accredited by the Confucius Institute (often called
'Hanban') which is the same Chinese government agency that appoints them;
and

•The age-appropriateness and sensitivity of the curriculum content and
materials which are left to principals to evaluate, despite most school
leaders having no Chinese language skills.

The Minister also refused to answer questions about the number of Confucius
teachers, the cost of the program or overseas trips for bureaucrats funded
by the Chinese government.

*Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge said*: "Confucius Classrooms are an
unaccountable and unregulated intrusion by a foreign government into NSW
public schools.

"Most Confucius Classrooms operate with no Department official having any
idea what is being taught or how disputed issues such as human rights and
contested territories are handled.

"The Minister is ignoring the opportunities this program is creating for
Chinese government to capture young and vulnerable minds on issues such as
the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the Dalai Lama and Tibetan
independence, Taiwan , organ harvesting,  the South China Sea and Falun
Gong.

"The teachers are provided by Hanban which is nothing but a propaganda
agency of the Chinese government. They are subjected to none of the
accreditation or training expected for public school teachers.

"There are no mechanisms for auditing the Chinese government's
certification, leaving students exposed to a questionable standard of
instruction and safety.

"The age-appropriateness and sensitivity of the curriculum content and
materials are left to principals to evaluate, despite most school leaders
having no Chinese language skills.

"The Minister claims that schools inform parents of the content of the
classes through newsletters and school websites, despite the absence of any
mention of the Confucius program on the websites of most of the
participating schools.

"In order to protect their scheme to get language teaching on the cheap,
the NSW government is refusing to release critical financial and governance
information.

"Staff numbers, money spent on the program and the agreement signed with
the Chinese government are all closely guarded secrets.

"These classes might be free to Treasury but they are paid for by exposing
children to a foreign government's propaganda machine.

"This state should follow the lead of Toronto and replace foreign
government-chosen 'volunteers' with accredited NSW teachers using age
appropriate and sensitive materials," Mr Shoebridge said.



*Media Contact: 0408 113 952*


*-- David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative CouncilP: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc>SIGN UP TO STAY IN
TOUCH at davidshoebridge.org.au/sign-up
<http://davidshoebridge.org.au/take-action/sign-up/> *