Good work of public promoters brought to a close

Lyndsay Connors

by Kerri Carr

Despite abolition of the NSW Public Education Council, chair Lyndsay Connors welcomes the fact the recommendations were made public.

Less than three years after the State Government set up the NSW Public Education Council "to promote public schooling in NSW and to advise the Minister for Education and Training on future directions for public education in NSW to retain high standards" the body was abolished.

The Council was set up by then Education Minister John Watkins in response to the Vinson Report on the provision of public education in NSW.

The Council's terms of reference were to provide the Government with advice on key public education issues and examine "the public school system primarily from the standpoint of students and their entitlement to the highest quality schooling that the state can provide".

Ms Connors said that in December 2004 Dr Refshauge told her the Council would be disbanded.

"Having made his decision, he gave the Council time to complete its report."

"I would have been extremely disappointed had the Government not released the report publicly," she said.

Ms Connors said the decision by Dr Refshauge to abolish the Council came as a surprise to the Council members.

She said the Council was not set up with a specified term and none of the members were given a term of office.

"While I was surprised, like other members of the Council, I realise that these things happen at the discretion of the Minister," she added.

Ms Connors said that following the last state election the Council had been given a number of tasks.

"It could be seen that we'd completed those tasks.

"The Council had identified that it had, in a sense, completed one phase of its work and had begun proposals to refocus its work," Ms Connors added.

"In particular, we had discussed developing a combined educational, advocacy and consultative role," Ms Connors said.

"This could have been achieved through conducting forums in different areas of the State to discuss the role and significance of public schooling in today's society, to provide information about public education and to provide for open discussion and feedback from local communities. The purpose of this consultation would be to improve services in response to community needs and aspirations, to detect emerging issues and to formulate advice on possible responses. There had also been discussion of the possibility of the Council taking on specific research and consultative tasks referred to it by the Government."

Ms Connors said no specific reasons have been given for the abolition of the Council.

"He [Dr Refshauge] gave no specific reasons but did express satisfaction with the quality of the work."

Many of the recommendations of the NSW Public Education Council are consistent with the sorts of resourcing needs identified by Federation and the Vinson report.

Ms Connors said the Council had reported to Dr Refshauge along the way and he'd written back.

"He'd seen a number of key recommendations of the report before deciding to close the Council," she said.

The report was published with Carmel Tebbutt as Minister.

"Carmel Tebbutt thanked the Council for its report," Ms Connors said.

"She came to meet with the Council and acknowledged the report raised some very complex issues and assured the Council the recommendations would be given serious consideration by the Government as the Government examines its options for the future."

Ms Connors said the Minister told the Council there were no easy answers, but was committed to exploring the options. She also said Ms Tebbutt had vowed to update the Council members on what had happened to their advice.

"The Council took that as a positive sign," Ms Connors said.

Members of the Council were Council chair Lyndsay Connors, Belvoir Theatre director Neil Armfield, Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW president Sharryn Brownlee, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group former president Charles Davison, Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation chair John Delaney, author and broadcaster Lisa Forrest, Newcastle University Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Terry Lovat, former Department of Education Director-General Jan McClelland, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justice Ruth McColl, Charles Sturt University Foundation Dean of Education Professor Bob Meyenn, Federation president Maree O'Halloran, former Federal Education Minister Susan Ryan and NSW University Chancellor John Yu.

Council recommendations

• "That the NSW Government affirm its commitment to the principle set out in the NSW Education Act (1990) 'that the principal responsibility of the State in the education of children is the provision of public education..."
• "The Public Education Council believes that the current funding regime for the mixed system of schooling operating in Australia is dysfunctional and unsustainable if the National Goals for Schooling are to be achievable for the majority of students."
• "The Council also recommends strategies to more effectively manage the resources available to public schools in New South Wales and align public funding priorities to the principles set out in the NSW Education Act.
• "That the NSW Government, in allocating public funds between public and non-government schools, ensure that its principal obligation under the Education Act, to provide public schools of the highest quality, is not compromised; and that public funds are not allocated to non-government schools with superior resources (either from private sources alone or in combination with Commonwealth grants).
• "That the Department give beginning teachers a reduced teaching load in their first year of teaching, to allow time for professional development to improve teaching practice.
• "That the NSW Government review the eligibility criteria of primary-aged students for the School Student Transport Scheme with a view to re-directing resources specifically to improving the buildings and facilities in primary schools."

• "That the Department implement an annual program of high-profile professional development activities, focused on Key Learning Areas or pedagogical issues of priority.

The report said: "The Council is concerned that the information systems on the operations and performance of public education as well as systems to capture the views of its parents and broader school communities are inadequate to support student learning, school and system management and improvement, and provide the essential foundation for evidence based strategic policy and planning."

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005