DET document confirms NESB negligence

By Angelo Gavrielatos

A leaked NSW Department of Education and Training briefing paper has confirmed the extent to which successive state and federal governments have neglected non-English speaking background (NESB) migrant and refugee students.

The briefing paper highlights the scandalous decline in the provision of English as a Second Language (ESL) for students in need.

The critical section of the internal DET brief reveals the following:

"In the period 1983 to 1992, the number of ESL teaching positions steadily increased by 20 per cent to meet increasing ESL student need. Since 1993, this has remained unchanged at 876 ESL FTE [full time equivalent].

"Since 1994, 876 (FTE) teaching positions have been available to be distributed to schools. ESL teaching positions are above establishment positions provided to schools according to a formula identifying each school's relative ESL need.

"From 1983 until 2004 the face-to-face ESL teacher to ESL student contact ratio increased from 1:55 to 1:110 (primary) and from 1:42 to 1:78 (secondary). This approximates a doubling of the student teacher contact ratio and demonstrates a significant deterioration in ESL program access in both primary and secondary schools over these periods.

"Since 1983, the number of LBOTE [language background other than English] students assessed as requiring ESL assistance but unable to receive it, has trebled to 41,158 students.

"The students who are not receiving ESL support are at risk of not developing English literacy to enable full participation in the curriculum.

"In response to the need for increased ESL provision in schools the Department submitted a proposal to Treasury as part of the budget enhancement process for 2002/03, for an increase of 60 FTE ESL teacher positions over the years 2003-2005 at a cost of approximately $3,551,450 per annum.

"As this proposal was not successful, another budget enhancement proposal was submitted in 2003/04 for an additional 100 ESL teacher positions, in line with the recommendations of the Vinson Inquiry into Public Education. The estimated recurrent cost of this proposal was $8,392,000. This proposal was not successful."

Despite submissions from DET on two occasions to increase ESL funding because of the dire consequences and risk for NESB students, the Government has ignored this necessary increase.

No-one can dispute the Federal Government's neglect, however, the NSW Government cannot absolve itself from its responsibilities to these students.

The Federal Government's neglect in the provision of ESL programs is highlighted in a statement from MCEETYA (Ministerial Council for Employment Education Training and Youth Affairs) in April 2004, which shows that NSW should receive an additional $12 million per annum from the Federal Government for the provision of ESL programs to NESB migrant and refugee students.

While state and federal governments continue to engage in their political blame-shifting games, NESB migrant and refugee students are suffering.

Angelo Gavrielatos is the Senior Vice President.

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December 2004 contents