DET party to federal voucher scheme

NSW DET is planning how to implement the Federal Government's politically-motivated tutorial vouchers scheme, writes SALLY EDSALL.

Director-General Dr Cappie-Wood has already sent letters to the families of 7300 eligible students which advise them of the Federal Government scheme.

The scheme provides $700 vouchers to parents of year 3 students who achieved band 1 in the Basic Skills Test literacy component in 2003, or have been exempt from doing the BST. This includes students with learning difficulties and newly-arrived non-English speaking students and so on. The vast majority of the students are in public schools, clustered in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. There are some in Catholic systemic schools and virtually none in independent schools. At a meeting with Federation on August 12 the Department of Education and Training outlined how it would implement the tutorial program, as it has tendered to become the broker for provision of the scheme.

DET is reasonably confident its tender will be successful, as it is the only organisation capable of being broker on a state-wide basis. The Catholic Education Commission has said they will not tender and has acted as "referee" for DET to the federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). Federation Executive has resolved to write to the Minister urging NSW's withdrawal from cooperation with this scheme on the grounds that it would waste resources which should be supporting public education.

Assuming DET is the successful tenderer, a list of preferred providers to be employed by DET will be drawn up by the Department of Commerce. That list will be based on responses to advertisements for tutors. The Federal Government program guidelines state: "Prospective Tutors must demonstrate capacity, through formal academic qualifications to provide tuition. The qualifications required will be equivalent to those that the State or Territory Government recognise when employing teachers. In some instances, where no qualified Tutors are available, this requirement may be relaxed subject to DEST approval."

Students would be expected to attend two or three one-hour sessions per week during term 4. All sessions must be held outside school hours -- before or after school or at weekends. Parents would be expected to attend each tutorial session. The teaching program will be specified by DEST, and will include a pre-test and post-test.

It is envisaged that much of the tutoring will take place in NSW DET schools outside school hours. But there might also be other venues, depending on individuals or organisations which become preferred providers (for example, coaching colleges). Federation raised the issue of utilities and cleaning if schools are used. There is no Commonwealth funding for this. There will be an administrative load for each tutor, and for the DET as broker in monitoring and providing accountability-feedback. Tutors will not be paid for this -- they will only be paid for face to face contact.

It is envisaged that tutors will be hour-to-hour casuals. If students drop out of the scheme after the tutors have been engaged, then the tutor will be expected to contact parent/guardians. If the students fail to attend after follow-up, the tutor would be dismissed. There are no rates of pay established, and no award in place.

There are some travel and accommodation allowances in non metropolitan areas only.

Federation stressed to DET that members would be advised that under no circumstances should they be alone with students outside school hours, nor should they tutor under this scheme in private homes. DET was also advised that there should be no additional work for teachers in schools, arising from the program. This includes the classroom teachers of the students receiving tutoring.

Sally Edsall is the Relieving Editor.

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