ROMA MITCHELL SECONDARY COLLEGE

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (15:08): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister inform the house about the opportunities available for students at the new Roma Mitchell Secondary College?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Education and Child Development) (15:08): I would like to thank the member for Port Adelaide for this important question. I was delighted, just last week, that the member for Torrens and the Treasurer were able to join me for the official opening of the new Roma Mitchell Secondary College.

As members may be aware, the Roma Mitchell Secondary College is the final school to be officially opened under the state government's Education Works initiative, which has now seen the building of six brand new schools. This particular new school is an outstanding school with an outstanding school community. It caters for a wide range of students with a diversity of interests and skills. It does so because the school acknowledges that, in educating young people for the future, one size does not fit all.

I was delighted to see facilities including technology workshops, robotics and commercial kitchens and that students can gain nationally accredited, industry-standard skills while they are still at school. With the support of teachers, the students can learn the kinds of transferrable skills they will need for jobs and careers that may not have even been invented yet. What we do know is that rewarding careers of the future will require the capacity to think critically, be innovative and work effectively in teams. These are also the kinds of skills and abilities that South Australia needs for our new and emerging industries and for young people to actively take part in community life.

Being active is also a very big part of this new school. For example, there are a range of sporting opportunities and the school is working in partnership with Cycling SA, Hockey SA and Football Federation SA to offer specialist programs in cycling, hockey and, obviously, soccer for students in years 8 to 12. I have to say that the school is giving students outstanding opportunities across a range of academic, trade and sporting fields.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the commitment of the staff and school leadership, and to also particularly acknowledge the parents and other members of the former school communities which came together to create this new school. They were the Ross Smith Secondary School, Enfield High, Gepps Cross Girls High and Gepps Cross Senior Special School. I am absolutely confident that this new school will provide fantastic education for our children and for future generations of young South Australians.