State Election education platforms

These statements have been provided by the mainstream WA political parties at the invitation of the SSTUWA to inform members about each party’s position towards public education or their party’s education policy platform ahead of the 2021 WA state election. The content has not been altered in any form from the original text sent to the SSTUWA. The platforms are listed in alphabetical order.

State Election education platform: The Greens

The Greens recognise that education is a public good that empowers people to live purposeful, satisfying lives.

Universal access to a high standard of education is fundamental to Australia’s economic prosperity, social wellbeing and individual fulfilment.

Schools, TAFEs and universities should be fully funded so that all Western Australians have access to a world class education, regardless of where they live and their financial or other circumstances.

We will continue to advocate for WA’s education system to be funded properly so that our schools and TAFEs have quality infrastructure and are able to attract and retain outstanding teaching staff, particularly where they service disadvantaged populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented, and continues to present, significant challenges. WA teachers are to be commended on their work which ensured students continued to have access to education and support during this difficult time.

The COVID-19 experience exposed gaps and highlighted serious inequities. The Greens believe it is unacceptable that student access to education varied so wildly during the pandemic.

It is essential that the WA Government invests in building the capacity of the public education system for remote learning. This will require a significant funding boost for improved ICT infrastructure and equipment across public schools and TAFEs.

The Greens believe salaries and conditions of teachers, early childhood and other educators should reflect their professionalism, training and the importance of their work. Income levels and conditions should provide secure career structures, and encourage committed and capable people to enter and remain in the teaching profession. Insecure work should be minimised at all levels of the education system.

Self-determination is vital to addressing the gap between Aboriginal students and their peers. We must work towards ensuring First Nations people have a central role in education including as teachers and leaders, and in curriculum development.

The Greens believe the Government should have overall responsibility for school finances and staffing in order to: maximise accountability; support a transfer system that rewards teachers in more challenging environments; and eliminate harmful competition between schools.

Teachers and students have a right to a safe working and learning environment. There must be greater investment in specialised support for students at educational risk, including those with challenging behaviours.

Hon Alison Xamon Greens spokesperson for education has been a long-term advocate for greater investment in mental health services for children and Hon Alison Xamon MLC, Member for North Metropolitan and Greens (WA) Spokesperson for Education

young people, and continues to urge the Government to fix gaps between the mental health and education systems so that students receive seamless support. This must also extend to TAFE students.

Chronic underfunding for disability support in schools impacts on individual students, their peers and teaching staff. The State and Federal Governments both have a responsibility to address this gap.

WA requires a training system that meets students’ needs and employer demand, and is accessible to everyone. The Greens support measures that provide fee-free TAFE courses and revitalise the public TAFE system.

For further information on the Greens’ approach to education I encourage SSTUWA members to view our education policy at bit.ly/3jxt3cB and election initiative at bit.ly/2OkCu3H

These statements have been provided by the mainstream WA political parties at the invitation of the SSTUWA to inform members about each party’s position towards public education or their party’s education policy platform ahead of the 2021 WA state election. The content has not been altered in any form from the original text sent to the SSTUWA. The platforms are listed in alphabetical order.

State Election education platform: Labor Party

My WA Labor Government truly understands the importance of education and I’d thank all teachers, TAFE lecturers and principals for the essential role they play in educating West Australians. Education will remain a key priority if we are re-elected.

Student Support

The number of school psychologists in WA public schools is currently the highest it has ever been. A re-elected McGowan Government will commit $42.2 million to provide an increase in school psychologists, commencing with an additional 40 FTE in 2022 and rising to 100 FTE by 2025, with an associated increase in support positions. This is a 39% boost to the current level of school psychologists available to government schools.

School Infrastructure and STEM

We want our students and teachers to have the best learning and teaching environment. As part of the WA Recovery Plan our Government invested $492 million in the School Infrastructure Package. This built on our $200 million in the High Priority Maintenance program in 2019, and together they are delivering essential upgrades and refurbishments across the State.

A re-elected McGowan Labor Government will invest a further $355 million to upgrade schools across the State and deliver quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education in all schools.

Affordable TAFE Fees

The McGowan Government has invested heavily in making training more affordable for Western Australians so they can get the skills they need. This includes freezing TAFE fees and reducing fees for 180 high priority courses by up to 72% through the Lower fees, local skills initiative.

A re-elected McGowan Labor Government will freeze TAFE fees and fee reduced courses through to 2025.

Since slashing course fees, enrolments in fee reduced courses have increased by 43% and are assisting key groups like youth and regional students to get the skills they need to get a job. This is complemented by our record $167.4 million investment in capital works projects across the five WA TAFE colleges to upgrade essential infrastructure and create world-class learning facilities. Hon Mark McGowan MLA, Premier and WA Labor Leader

region in the State – providing separate learning environments for students who have committed violent acts and teaching self-regulation skills to cease these behaviours.

Alternative Learning Settings

The McGowan Government’s Let’s Take a Stand Together - 10 Point Plan gave school staff the confidence that they would be supported in reporting violent and threatening behaviour from students. As part of our violence in schools action plan, four pilot Alternative Learning Settings (ALS) were established for students who have been excluded or are at high risk of exclusion from public schools due to violent behaviour. My Government continues to provide the highest share of total government public schools funding in Australia of all the states. The McGowan Government is strongly committed to supporting public schools in their provision of high-quality education to all Western Australian public school students.

The McGowan Government will continue to serve the best interests of students, teachers and school leaders in this State.

A re-elected McGowan Government will provide additional investment to expand the ALS program into every education Visit the election updates tab at puttingourkidsfirst.com.au for more.

These statements have been provided by the mainstream WA political parties at the invitation of the SSTUWA to inform members about each party’s position towards public education or their party’s education policy platform ahead of the 2021 WA state election. The content has not been altered in any form from the original text sent to the SSTUWA. The platforms are listed in alphabetical order.

State Election education platform: Liberal Party

The Liberal Party values the incredibly important role principals, teachers, lecturers and all staff play in supporting the learning and wellbeing of students across Western Australian government schools and TAFE Colleges. We understand the COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges and we thank you for continuing to provide first-class education and support during this difficult time.

A consistent message from school communities is the need for increased mental health and wellbeing services. In recognition of this, a future Liberal Government will deliver initiatives to provide greater access to professional support and pastoral care through an expansion of the Department’s School Psychology Service and the School Chaplaincy Service. This commitment would provide an extra 100 FTE school psychologists and expanded chaplaincy support to every government school. This means that for every school that wishes to have a chaplain they will be able to do so. A review will also be undertaken into existing student mental health and wellbeing services to identify opportunities for further improvement. The Liberal Party recognises school leaders have increasingly demanding roles and we know annual surveys consistently identify significant concerns surrounding mental health and wellbeing. We have therefore committed to developing a Principal Health and Wellbeing Strategy and expanding YouthCARE’s successful Principal School Chaplaincy Service to all government school principals and staff in metropolitan, regional and remote areas. We also want to trial a Principal Mentoring Program utilising recently retired, highly skilled principals as mentors for existing school leaders seeking additional guidance and support. Early childhood education is an integral part of a child’s social, physical and cognitive development. Our commitment to this learning area includes the introduction of face-to-face speech pathology services directly into government schools for the first time. The two-year trial will allow speech pathologists to provide specialist knowledge and support directly to students and teachers in the classroom.

We will also deliver an additional 10 Child and Parent Centres enabling more families to access integrated early childhood programmes and services. We acknowledge the advocacy of the SSTUWA and others who have called for the establishment of a strategy recognising the importance of play-based learning alongside other evidence-based learning practices. A future Liberal Government will therefore develop a WA Play Based Learning Strategy and will increase funding to the Playground Equipment and Shade Structures Program. A 10-year Music Education Strategy will also be prepared in recognition of the importance music education plays in activating positive social, behavioural and academic outcomes for students, particularly in the early years. Hon Donna Faragher MLC, Shadow Minister for Education and Training

To complement this, primary and district high schools will be able to access a new Music Equipment Grants Program. With funding set aside for a number of school improvements, the Liberal Party understands the value school leaders can provide in the planning stages to ensure new schools and facility upgrades are constructed fit for purpose. We believe the existing guidelines should be amended to allow school leaders to have greater input in the early design stages. We will also support Western Australians looking to undertake further education and skills training through training initiatives which include a commitment to not increase TAFE course fees during the next term of government and the establishment of a new Apprentice Tool Bonus Scheme.

The Liberal Party again sincerely thanks all staff for their commitment and dedication to students across our State.

These statements have been provided by the mainstream WA political parties at the invitation of the SSTUWA to inform members about each party’s position towards public education or their party’s education policy platform ahead of the 2021 WA state election. The content has not been altered in any form from the original text sent to the SSTUWA. The platforms are listed in alphabetical order.

State Election education platform: The Nationals

The Nationals WA believe access to quality education – regardless of postcode - is a cornerstone for thriving regional communities and are committed to developing policies that help regional students, families, educators and schools have the best education experience possible.

Students and teachers in regional areas face unique challenges related to resourcing, access to support services, ageing facilities, limited and irregular connectivity as well as attraction and retention of staff. The Nationals WA have and always will make it a priority to address these challenges in regional areas.

The number of recommendations outlined by SSTUWA demonstrates the current Government’s failure to adequately resource the education sector. Unfortunately, these resourcing constraints and the ongoing funding inequity between regional and metropolitan schools is felt most by students, teachers, principals and families living in regional communities.

Our team has made a series of election commitments which may be of interest to SSTUWA and its members, including:

• Regional Parent Association Grants – $10 million towards almost 400 regional P&Cs and P&Fs to provide matching dollar-for-dollar grants up to $5000 to invest in school equipment, infrastructure, events and programs.

• Mental Health Plan – A $140 million commitment to strengthen regional mental health community support and prevention, including $5 million for building resilience and emotional wellbeing in school-aged children.

• Agricultural education – Strengthen agricultural education in schools, including reinstating the Agricultural

Education Farm Provisions Trust and expanding capacity in WA Colleges of

Agriculture to address the needs of students, teachers and principals in the College network.

• Rebuild Hedland Senior High School – Committed to a complete rebuild of the school, estimated to cost $60 million, to ensure students and teachers have a safe and modern learning environment.

• Moora education precinct – Develop a fully integrated education precinct in Moora bringing together Moora

Residential College, Moora Central

Regional TAFE and a K-12 community college.

• Restoring BAHA - $16.8 million of Royalties for Regions to boost

Boarding Away from Home Allowance payments so regional families who qualify for the full suite of Federal and State allowances have no more boarding fees to pay.

• Free VacSwim – a $5 million commitment to make VacSwim free for regional families, expand locations it is offered and double participation rates to 34,000 annually.

Mr Peter Rundle MLA, Member for Roe and The Nationals WA Spokesperson for Education and Training

• Waggrakine Primary School – $2.5 million for a new classroom block at

Geraldton’s biggest primary school.

• Denmark Senior High School – Investing $5 million towards expanding this growing school with additional classrooms and a new performing arts centre.

Our policies and election commitments can be found online at www.nationalswa.com as they are announced.