❓ Mr. Staltari questions the Minister for Education about missed WACE attainment targets and the delayed response to a review of senior secondary pathways. The Minister defends the government's actions and investments in education.
⏳ Awaiting AnswerQoN 302Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Education—Western Australian Certificate of Education302.Mr Liam Staltarito
theMinister for Education:I also acknowledge
the former member for Carine in the gallery.I refer to the
government missing its own target for year 12 Western Australian Certificate of
Education attainment rates yet again and its decision to lower this target in
the 2026–27 state budget. Given these failures, will the minister finally release
her formal response to thePathways to Post-School
Success: Review of Western Australian senior secondary pathways, which
has been sitting on her desk for 18 months now?Ms Sabine Winton replied:It is really great
to get a question on education during budget week. I just wish that it was an
opportunity to talk about the record $2.1 billion of investment in schools.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Cassie Roweinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Belmont!Ms Sabine Winton:We would expect nothing less, given that
the Treasurer got two questions in the entire week when we all should be
talking about what is in the budget.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Sabine Winton:I am happy to take the opportunity
to talk about our students in Western Australia and the incredible work and
achievements by all cohorts in our public education system, including, of
course, our year 12 students. The member rightfully talked about thePathways to Post-School Successreview, which I
have been working on since I became minister. Whilst he has suggested that
nothing has been done and it has been sitting on my desk, let me take the
opportunity to explain some of the actions that we have already taken on the
many recommendations in the report, which the member is ignoring for
convenience.Back in June 2023,
we announced the review of Western Australia's secondary pathways. The purpose
of the review was to provide us with a whole bunch of recommendations around
pathways for students into further education, training and employment. As part
of the WACE refresh in 2025, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
implemented changes acknowledging C grades and equivalents to encourage more
students to enrol in ATAR courses. That was a recommendation from the review.
The 33 recommendations in the report not only dealwith
a whole raft of issues around WACE attainment, but also consider future
pathways for students beyondATAR. We know that, for a whole variety of
students, the traditional ATAR pathway is not the only one in terms of post-compulsory
schooling, as there are TAFE and other pathways.I can assure the
member for Carine that we are getting on with the important work of ensuring
that our year 12 students have a variety of pathways, whether that is
through the ATAR pathway or TAFE pathways, with our record investment into
those pathways for our schools. His suggestion that our government is not
making sure that young people in our schools have secondary pathways is
fanciful.
Education—Western Australian Certificate of Education
302.Mr Liam Staltarito
theMinister for Education:
I also acknowledge
the former member for Carine in the gallery.
I refer to the
government missing its own target for year 12 Western Australian Certificate of
Education attainment rates yet again and its decision to lower this target in
the 2026–27 state budget. Given these failures, will the minister finally release
her formal response to thePathways to Post-School
Success: Review of Western Australian senior secondary pathways, which
has been sitting on her desk for 18 months now?
Ms Sabine Winton replied:
It is really great
to get a question on education during budget week. I just wish that it was an
opportunity to talk about the record $2.1 billion of investment in schools.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Cassie Roweinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Belmont!
Ms Sabine Winton:We would expect nothing less, given that
the Treasurer got two questions in the entire week when we all should be
talking about what is in the budget.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Sabine Winton:I am happy to take the opportunity
to talk about our students in Western Australia and the incredible work and
achievements by all cohorts in our public education system, including, of
course, our year 12 students. The member rightfully talked about thePathways to Post-School Successreview, which I
have been working on since I became minister. Whilst he has suggested that
nothing has been done and it has been sitting on my desk, let me take the
opportunity to explain some of the actions that we have already taken on the
many recommendations in the report, which the member is ignoring for
convenience.
Back in June 2023,
we announced the review of Western Australia's secondary pathways. The purpose
of the review was to provide us with a whole bunch of recommendations around
pathways for students into further education, training and employment. As part
of the WACE refresh in 2025, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
implemented changes acknowledging C grades and equivalents to encourage more
students to enrol in ATAR courses. That was a recommendation from the review.
The 33 recommendations in the report not only dealwith
a whole raft of issues around WACE attainment, but also consider future
pathways for students beyondATAR. We know that, for a whole variety of
students, the traditional ATAR pathway is not the only one in terms of post-compulsory
schooling, as there are TAFE and other pathways.
I can assure the
member for Carine that we are getting on with the important work of ensuring
that our year 12 students have a variety of pathways, whether that is
through the ATAR pathway or TAFE pathways, with our record investment into
those pathways for our schools. His suggestion that our government is not
making sure that young people in our schools have secondary pathways is
fanciful.
theMinister for Education:I also acknowledge
the former member for Carine in the gallery.I refer to the
government missing its own target for year 12 Western Australian Certificate of
Education attainment rates yet again and its decision to lower this target in
the 2026–27 state budget. Given these failures, will the minister finally release
her formal response to thePathways to Post-School
Success: Review of Western Australian senior secondary pathways, which
has been sitting on her desk for 18 months now?Ms Sabine Winton replied:It is really great
to get a question on education during budget week. I just wish that it was an
opportunity to talk about the record $2.1 billion of investment in schools.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Cassie Roweinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Belmont!Ms Sabine Winton:We would expect nothing less, given that
the Treasurer got two questions in the entire week when we all should be
talking about what is in the budget.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Sabine Winton:I am happy to take the opportunity
to talk about our students in Western Australia and the incredible work and
achievements by all cohorts in our public education system, including, of
course, our year 12 students. The member rightfully talked about thePathways to Post-School Successreview, which I
have been working on since I became minister. Whilst he has suggested that
nothing has been done and it has been sitting on my desk, let me take the
opportunity to explain some of the actions that we have already taken on the
many recommendations in the report, which the member is ignoring for
convenience.Back in June 2023,
we announced the review of Western Australia's secondary pathways. The purpose
of the review was to provide us with a whole bunch of recommendations around
pathways for students into further education, training and employment. As part
of the WACE refresh in 2025, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
implemented changes acknowledging C grades and equivalents to encourage more
students to enrol in ATAR courses. That was a recommendation from the review.
The 33 recommendations in the report not only dealwith
a whole raft of issues around WACE attainment, but also consider future
pathways for students beyondATAR. We know that, for a whole variety of
students, the traditional ATAR pathway is not the only one in terms of post-compulsory
schooling, as there are TAFE and other pathways.I can assure the
member for Carine that we are getting on with the important work of ensuring
that our year 12 students have a variety of pathways, whether that is
through the ATAR pathway or TAFE pathways, with our record investment into
those pathways for our schools. His suggestion that our government is not
making sure that young people in our schools have secondary pathways is
fanciful.
Education—Western Australian Certificate of Education
302.Mr Liam Staltarito
theMinister for Education:
I also acknowledge
the former member for Carine in the gallery.
I refer to the
government missing its own target for year 12 Western Australian Certificate of
Education attainment rates yet again and its decision to lower this target in
the 2026–27 state budget. Given these failures, will the minister finally release
her formal response to thePathways to Post-School
Success: Review of Western Australian senior secondary pathways, which
has been sitting on her desk for 18 months now?
Ms Sabine Winton replied:
It is really great
to get a question on education during budget week. I just wish that it was an
opportunity to talk about the record $2.1 billion of investment in schools.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Cassie Roweinterjected.
The Speaker:Member for Belmont!
Ms Sabine Winton:We would expect nothing less, given that
the Treasurer got two questions in the entire week when we all should be
talking about what is in the budget.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Sabine Winton:I am happy to take the opportunity
to talk about our students in Western Australia and the incredible work and
achievements by all cohorts in our public education system, including, of
course, our year 12 students. The member rightfully talked about thePathways to Post-School Successreview, which I
have been working on since I became minister. Whilst he has suggested that
nothing has been done and it has been sitting on my desk, let me take the
opportunity to explain some of the actions that we have already taken on the
many recommendations in the report, which the member is ignoring for
convenience.
Back in June 2023,
we announced the review of Western Australia's secondary pathways. The purpose
of the review was to provide us with a whole bunch of recommendations around
pathways for students into further education, training and employment. As part
of the WACE refresh in 2025, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
implemented changes acknowledging C grades and equivalents to encourage more
students to enrol in ATAR courses. That was a recommendation from the review.
The 33 recommendations in the report not only dealwith
a whole raft of issues around WACE attainment, but also consider future
pathways for students beyondATAR. We know that, for a whole variety of
students, the traditional ATAR pathway is not the only one in terms of post-compulsory
schooling, as there are TAFE and other pathways.
I can assure the
member for Carine that we are getting on with the important work of ensuring
that our year 12 students have a variety of pathways, whether that is
through the ATAR pathway or TAFE pathways, with our record investment into
those pathways for our schools. His suggestion that our government is not
making sure that young people in our schools have secondary pathways is
fanciful.
AnswerView source ↗
⏳
This question is awaiting a response from the Minister.
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