Minister Barr: ACT has highest student participation and employment
- Written by ACT Government
Released 04/02/2020 - Joint media release
The ACT has the highest participation in education across early childhood, tertiary, vocational and graduate training, according to the 2020 Report on Government Services, enabling Canberrans to secure good jobs and valuable skills.
“The ACT is the knowledge capital of the nation and these results show the ACT Government’s is successfully supporting Canberra students to reach their full potential,” said Chief Minister and Minister for Tertiary Education Andrew Barr.
Early childhood education and care
“The ACT Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and today’s report shows that commitment is making a difference for children and their families. For the second year in a row, more children aged five years and under in the ACT are attending an Australian Government approved early childhood service than any other jurisdiction” said Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Yvette Berry.
“The ACT Government was alsothe first jurisdiction in Australia to commit to transitioning to free, universal access to quality early childhood education for three year old children. This year the ACT is taking the first step towards universal access by providing access to 15 hours per week, 600 hours per year of education for up to 400 three year olds across Canberra.
“ACT early childhood education and care services also lead the country in terms of quality, with 46 per cent of services exceeding national quality standards compared to 31 per cent nationally. Parents can have confidence that their children are getting a great start to their education in Canberra.”
School education
“The report shows that ACT students perform well compared to other states and territories, however the government is still focused on improvement and, importantly, ensuring every child has equitable access to education.” said Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Yvette Berry.
“Over the next two years we will continue to provide Chromebooks to new public secondary students from years seven to 12 to ensure equitable access to the learning tools of the 21st century for all students, regardless of personal circumstance.
“The government released the Future of Education Strategy in 2018 which outlines the focus and investment for the ACT education system over the next 10 years.
“The strategy recognises the importance of professional development for teachers, which is why we are investing heavily in programs like the University of Canberra Affiliated Schools and offering 30 new Master of Education scholarships in 2020.”
Vocational education and training
“For the sixth year in a row, the ACT had the highest number of government-funded vocational education and training students participating in courses at certificate III diploma level or above,” said Minister for Tertiary Education Andrew Barr.
“We also continue to have the nation’s highest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students employed and/or undertaking further study after completing a course.
“The ACT Government remains committed to investing in high-quality vocational education and training programs.”
“We are investing in a new state-of-the art CIT campus to be built in Woden. CIT Woden will provide a modern, purpose built campus that’s expected to bring an extra 6,500 students to the Woden town centre each year to support local business and industry.”
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
