CAP committed to re-opening Hall school
10 July 2008
Following a 'meet the people' visit by Community Alliance Party candidates for Ginninderra Mike Crowther and Jane Tullis, Jane (pictured) has forwarded at our request the following statement on CAP's education policy, and their specific commitment in relation to Hall school.
Jane says: "The Community Alliance would immediately re-open Hall, Tharwa, Flynn and Cook Primary Schools, and would expect to have them operational for the commencement of the 2009 school year. This would be regardless of the number of students enrolled. Beyond the four mentioned schools, I can assure you that we will remain open to any approach from any of the ACT school communities.
The Community Alliance Party recognises the critical value of schools, education and life-long learning to our families, neighbourhoods and communities.
The Alliance will work with communities, teachers and administrators to recognise and develop the roles of teachers and to restore and improve our education system. The Alliance supports a fully funded, high quality, free and accessible public school system alongside the existing private school systems in the ACT.
The Alliance will prioritize:
• community and neighbourhood schools
• re-opening of government schools wrongfully closed
• retaining community ownership of school buildings and lands
• no further 'super schools' without supporting evidence
• overdue resources, recognition and rewards for teachers
• providing extra assistance for children who need it
• real action so that all students reach their full potential
:
The Alliance has clearly stated that we will support the re-opening of any school where both the community support exists for us to do so, and where the physical infrastructure still remains viable. You will have noticed recently in the media the current majority government's thinly veiled attempt to render Mt Neighbour Primary School beyond physical occupancy by allowing the Special Forces training to take place there.
The Government is also currently undertaking yet another consultation process with regard to the future use of closed school sites, and we anticipate more hasty action on their part prior to the election to commence some of the physical alterations recommended to them.
Having said that, we had also clearly stated at our party's launch that we recognise that there will be a cost to re-opening closed schools. Many families will have already settled their children into new school environments, and some degeneration of the physical condition of closed schools may have occurred during their unoccupied period.
The Community Alliance Party recognises the value of social capital and we believe that it is imperative that small community schools be maintained. Therefore we will support what some would see as a negative economic basis in order to allow time for a community to re-establish its school community. This does pre-suppose that no land sell off has taken place and that enough physical structure still remains post election day".
[Note that out 'editorial' position on election comment is to bring the views of all Ginninderra candidates to the attention of Hall and district peoples, and not to take any political position ourselves]