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2010
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
EDUCATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 2010
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Presented by
Mr Andrew Barr MLA
Minister for Education and Training
Explanatory Statement
This explanatory statement relates to the
Bill as introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Overview of
Bill
In 2006 the ACT Government made a commitment to ‘better
support teachers and schools by developing an option for tougher suspension for
longer periods for misbehaving students.’
The purpose of the Bill
is to enable the Chief Executive of the Department of Education and Training and
the Director, Catholic Education Office, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulbourn,
to delegate their existing authority to suspend a student, for a maximum of ten
days, to a school principal.
Outline of
Provisions
Clause 1 Name of Act
States the title of the
Act, which is the Education Amendment Act 2010.
Clause 2
Commencement
States that the Act commences on the day after it is
notified.
Clause 3 Legislation amended
States that the Act
amends the Education Act 2004.
Clause 4 Suspension, exclusion
or transfer of a student by chief executive
Section 36(10) provides
the chief executive may delegate the chief executive’s power to suspend a
student from a government school for not longer than ten days to a school
principal.
This provision allows principals wider discretion in dealing
with incidents in public schools. It will enhance their capacity to
appropriately manage anti-social behaviour in their schools and to apply
proportionate sanctions, reiterating the Territory’s zero-tolerance
approach to bullying and its focus on schools as safe places for
all.
Clause 5 Suspension, transfer or exclusion of
students-Catholic systemic schools
Section 104(10) provides the
director may delegate the director’s power to suspend a student from a
Catholic school for not longer than ten days to a school principal.
This
provision allows principals wider discretion in dealing with incidents in
Catholic schools. It will enhance their capacity to appropriately manage
anti-social behaviour in their schools and to apply proportionate sanctions,
reiterating the Territory’s zero-tolerance approach to bullying and its
focus on schools as safe places for all.