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Liberals Unveil $678 Million Education PolicyA Liberal Government will introduce performance pay bonuses for our top teachers, create Turn-Around-Teams to support underperforming schools and support the establishment of nationally comparable curriculum benchmarks. By Ted Baillieu - 2nd November 2006 - Back to News A Liberal Government will introduce performance pay bonuses for our top teachers, create Turn-Around-Teams to support underperforming schools and support the establishment of nationally comparable curriculum benchmarks, Liberal Leader Ted Baillieu announced today.
Mr Baillieu, accompanied by Shadow Minister for Education Marton Dixon, released A Liberal Government Plan To Deliver Opportunity For Our Children at Glen Katherine Primary School, in Eltham in Melbourne’s east.
"A Liberal Government will restore education standards and equip our children for a rapidly changing workforce," Mr Baillieu said. "We will give our children the skills to fulfill their potential and reach their goals."
Mr Baillieu announced a $678 million plan which provides:
- 5% performance pay bonuses for up to 2000 teachers ($25 million)
- 5% salary bonuses for teachers at hard-to-staff schools, particularly rural and remote schools ($15.2 million)
- Turn-Around-Teams of experts to support underperforming schools ($5 million)
- A review of the state’s curriculum to establish nationally comparable curriculum benchmarks
- $10 million for children with a disability in non-government schools, and
- $3.2 million for after-school sport in primary schools
The package also includes five new technical schools ($70 million), four new selective entry schools ($32 million) and $200 million to eliminate Labor’s school maintenance backlog. Other initiatives include a Parents As Educators program, a new text, email and MSN toll free bully line for victims of bullying, and $12.1 million to expand Adult Education.
Mr Baillieu said a Liberal Government would also investigate the feasibility of the provision by private providers of school infrastructure, including school buildings, sporting facilities and equipment such as up-to-date machinery for TAFEs and technical colleges.
"We must give our children the skills to fulfill their potential and reach their goals," Mr Baillieu said. "We will reward our best teachers and encourage our best students to enter the teaching profession. There will be unprecedented support for underperforming schools to ensure these students are not disadvantaged."
The policy includes a Liberal Government plan for:
- free public transport for all students ($286 million)
- free kindergarten for most four-year-olds
- 40 additional university places for rural doctors ($10.7 million)
- $3.4 million to train 40 additional dentists
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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