The Hon Tony Smith MP
Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Julia Gillard has failed to provide schools with any details about whether they will have to pay for the additional costs for the roll-out of new computers, the Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training, Tony Smith MP, said today.
In announcing Round One of Labor’s computers policy, Julia Gillard, has again left parents and schools in the dark about who has to pay for the additional infrastructure and maintenance costs associated with the computers.
“Julia Gillard has handballed any extra responsibilities to the states - which already have a track record of failing to invest in school infrastructure,” Mr Smith said.
“Many schools are likely to be put off funding because they have no idea if they’ll have to foot the bill for expensive energy bills, extra teacher training, insurance costs and even extra classrooms for the computers.
“The Rudd Government is simply going to dump the computers at the door of the schools, smile for a photo opportunity and then leave schools, parents and the state government to pay for the additional costs.”
Mr Smith said that while the computers would be welcome, they will do little to fix the major problems in our education system.
“A real education revolution will more than just delivering computers in boxes to schools but addressing declining literacy and numeracy standards, crippling teacher shortages, falling standards and poor infrastructure,” Mr Smith said.
“It will be no use having new computers if there aren’t enough qualified teachers to teach with them or if they’re housed in leaky, dilapidated portables.”
Mr Smith said he would be watching closely to ensure that all students received their ‘own’ computer as they were promised by Kevin Rudd during the election campaign.
“At this stage, it’s looking like two students may have to share a computer and that’s even if schools go through the process of applying,” Mr Smith said.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
JULIA GILLARD SHEDS NO LIGHT ON WHO WILL PAY FOR EXTRA COMPUTER COSTS
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Parents' fury over politically correct newsletter
from news.com.au
FURIOUS parents have slammed a primary school for covering students' faces on their website with cartoons to protect their identities, Britain's Daily Mail reports.
Teachers at Cann Hill Primary School in Essex used the “smiley faces” in the online version of the school newsletter, after deciding that parents wouldn’t want their children recognised on the internet.
But parents have described the move as “political correctness gone mad” and demanded the cartoon faces be removed.
The school’s head teacher defended the decision, saying “you can’t say what is going to happen with any of those pictures”.
The images - which included a line-up of special award winners - were originally uncensored when published in the 420-pupil school's newsletter.
But when uploaded to the school's website, the names and achievements remained - but their faces had been covered up with the garish smileys.
Censored pictures even included action shots of the athletics tournament and a rugby team line-up.
On the front page of the website, the school says they guarantee the content of the site is "child friendly".
It added: "In order to protect our children, we have made the decision not to include any photos of our pupils on this website."
But the decision is out of step with other local schools who all appear to put images of their pupils unaltered on their websites.
The unusual act has split locals, with some claiming the decision was political correctness at its worst.
One said: "PC gone mad yet again or the school is afraid of being sued by parents with too much time on their hands."
But others supported the idea, with one mum-of-one from Colchester saying: "I wouldn't want my child's face on a disgusting site."
Mrs Reece added: "We have no problem with the pictures going out in the newsletter or in the local paper as long as parents have given permission but the internet is much wider."
A spokesman for Essex County Council said: "The council advises schools of the national guidelines relating to photographs of students. However, individual schools are free to adopt their own policies on the issue."
Department for Children Schools and Families guidelines say schools must get permission to publish photographs of pupils on websites or prospectuses.
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