LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – We are angry that the Giles government is cutting schools budgets, as revealed in The Australian today.
We are appalled to learn today that not only is the Giles government prevaricating on Gonski, they are also planning further cuts in their own state budget.
This is an unconscionable move. There are 126 teaching positions to be lost in NT schools next year alone, and secondary schools in remote locations will be hit especially hard.
Under the Gonski reforms, Northern Territory schools would see an additional $300 million over the next six years, with the total state and federal schools budget of $7 billion better spent to target disadvantage, and a commitment by both governments to maintain increased investment in schools funding over that time.
There is no doubt that we need to be investing more in Australian schools, and nowhere is this more important than in the Northern Territory, where many of the country’s most disadvantaged students live.
Territory kids have every right to expect the same educational opportunities as students elsewhere in the country, but the Giles government is standing in the way of the additional resources that would make that possible.
Angelo Gavrielatos
Federal President, Australian Education
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Territory kids need good teachers and that is not just teachers employed in that role.
It is parents and government polices. Welfare lifestyles is the norm in the Territory and encourages kids to make their choice as their preferred lifestyle in place of eduction and work ethics.
Whilst we in the Territory experience homelessness at such a crisis level I would prefer affordable housing to fix this problem.
Then implement work for welfare payments. Three hours a day Monday to Friday. Compulsory.
Get the kids seeing that parents like them have to get out of bed and do something to improve their lives.
How can kids honestly want to go to school when the parents get paid to do what they want? Yes education is important. But it should include life skills.
Schools should be set similar to universities. Once in middle school subjects including trades should be taught so kids are doing theory and practical of their desired job and this should include the options to move within this to seek and experience till they find their niche.
Just imagine girls doing hairdressing and beauty then learning about OHS cleaning maths reading writing and confidence.
Giving them the opportunity to gain the eduction and support needed to establish their working lives.
Skills and knowledge base prior to leaving school. Kids already finding their feet to where they want to be after leaving school. And having that real knowledge base to be self confident and also assist workplaces with great workers with real skills that benefits everyone.
And this would assist our kids greatly. Say a kid who loves working on cars but has issues reading and writing. Then he she can get the assistance to subjects that they know is needed to complete this trade the desire to learn is enhanced and they want to learn as its relevance to their needs is real. Real eduction for real kids.
Let’s forget the Gonski theory. And do what is needed for the kids. Time eduction caught up with the times and worked for our kids not against them.