Excellence and Innovation

The DET's Futures project - important advice to Federation Representatives

The release of the DET consultation paper Excellence and Innovation ignores the recent report and recommendations of the Vinson Inquiry, the most comprehensive independent Inquiry into Public Education since the Wyndham Report.

Dear Colleagues,

The release of the DET consultation paper Excellence and Innovation ignores the recent report and recommendations of the Vinson Inquiry, the most comprehensive independent Inquiry into Public Education since the Wyndham Report.

This is because the Government intends to use its Excellence and Innovation project to legitimise its own pre-determined plans. Recent public statements by the Director-General, Andrew Cappie-Wood and the Premier, Bob Carr, demonstrate this.

Under the guise of discussion about emerging educational themes and international trends, the document contains three common threads which in combination represent a threat to an equitable, inclusive public education system in which all students are guaranteed access to a quality and broad curriculum.

These themes are:

• Greater "autonomy" for Principals
• "Flexibility" in staffing and school organisation
• The abandonment or loosening of mandatory hours of study provisions.

In an era of decreasing resources for public education, the government is seeking, under the façade of greater flexibility and local control, to shift responsibility and ultimately blame to the local level.

If greater "flexibility" is to enhance public education then it must be delivered through additional resourcing over and above current resourcing levels.

The following set of points is provided to assist members in the development of submissions.

Whilst the points do not touch on all issues covered in the "consultation" paper, it should not be interpreted that this indicates a disregard for matters not directly addressed.

The points are listed under the most relevant chapter headings. The layout and organisation of the DET document is very confused with chapter headings, content and questions often unrelated.

Yours sincerely,

Barry Johnson
General Secretary

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005