Thursday, 4 May 2023

Dromana College

Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (22:19): (192) My adjournment matter tonight is also for the Minister for Education, and it is regarding a fabulous school down in Dromana, Dromana College. The action that I seek is for the government to revoke its demand for Dromana College to restrict its student numbers. I have been in communication over the last couple of days with several senior figures on the council at Dromana College, principally the president of the council Mr Julian Tintinger, and I have learned the most extraordinary thing – that is, that this thriving school with capacity for more and more students has been instructed by the minister, no less, that it must cut its student numbers by 600. So they must stop taking students even though parents are voting with their feet and seeking to send their children to Dromana College because it is a fabulous school. They must stop taking any more students and then indeed cut 600 students. God knows how. This has been the edict of the Department of Education, based on the immense wisdom of the minister and her senior staff. Apparently –

Bev McArthur interjected.

Matthew BACH: Well, they cannot, Mrs McArthur. As you know, if I had my way, we would scrap this government’s entire archaic system of school zoning. It entirely denies parental choice.

Members interjecting.

Matthew BACH: It may be a controversial view in this place, but I have long thought that parents know better than bureaucrats what is best for their kids. If that is a controversial view, I am very sorry, but it has been my long-held view as a schoolteacher of many years before coming into this place. However, the minister says to Dromana College that it must take no more students. This has placed enormous stress on the leadership at Dromana College, because if they are to cut 600 students from their current student population of about 1400 kids, that will lead to massive staff losses. And what are those teachers supposed to do? What are those kids supposed to do, and what are those families supposed to do?

Bev McArthur interjected.

Matthew BACH: I will take up the interjection of Mrs McArthur, because my understanding, Mrs Mac, is that the union is very concerned. I am meeting with Ms Peace next week, the head of the union, to discuss this matter and other matters. Honestly, she is very concerned and the union is very concerned, as it should be.

I would urge the government to stop this assault on this fabulous school. There are other schools in the region – not many others, but there are some other schools in the region that are struggling for student numbers. If that is the case, the government must come to the party and help other schools lift their standards so that parents feel comfortable to send their students there. It is an entirely inappropriate action to force Dromana College to kick out students. They need to start negotiating, start discussing properly, with Dromana College so that this dreadful action does not occur.