Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Maryborough Education Centre

Ms GREEN (Yan Yean) (19:03): (6277) My matter on the adjournment tonight is for the attention of the Minister for Education, and the action that I seek is for him to visit Maryborough Education Centre to see firsthand the amazing work the teachers are doing across an amazingly diverse cohort of students. I had the privilege of visiting this amazing school last week with eight regional caucus colleagues, including yourself, Deputy Speaker—a Maryborough gal—the Minister for Training and Skills and the Minister for Regional Development together with Labor’s candidate for Ripon, Martha Haylett, who was educated at the neighbouring Castlemaine Secondary College. I am sure that the minister remembers, like I do, our first year in Parliament, when former member for Ripon Joe Helper and late, great member for Ballarat Province John McQuilten simply would not stop talking about how amazing this school was when it opened in 2005.

Aspiration, kindness and respect are the school’s values, and it shows. Maryborough Education Centre aims to deliver the highest possible teaching and learning experience to every child every day, and there are 1000 students. The school caters for all students through the delivery of a comprehensive prep-to-year-12 curriculum. A specialist setting provides tailored programs individually developed to meet the students’ needs. They are rightly proud of their flourishing, inclusive and respectful culture, which includes 66 students who identify as Indigenous. The school hosts a doctors in schools program, a school breakfast program and many extracurricular activities. As you are aware, Deputy Speaker, the principal advised us of how important the mentoring program has been following COVID and also that they look forward to the Smile Squad and how it will help with students’ dental health.

It does not bear thinking about what could happen to the students at this school should the coalition win government at the November election, because Liberals always cut education—it is in their DNA. Some in this place have said that the main performance measures that matter are the TER scores and whether students apply for tertiary education and get a place, rather than a tailored education for every student that connects them to work, to university or to TAFE, together with health and wellbeing support. I know that we as a government really value that individualised approach that is occurring at Maryborough Education Centre. It is often seen as a disadvantaged community, but this school is really looking at each child and preparing them for life after school, the life of work and beyond. I look forward to seeing the minister visiting this great school and also many other schools across the Ripon electorate.