LITERACY AND NUMERACY

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:52): I was going to raise a point of order at No. 73, but I will ask my question instead; but 73 may be something we could invoke today. My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister inform the house about what the government is doing to improve numeracy and literacy teaching in our schools?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:53): I thank the member for Florey for her question, and I know how involved she is in her local schools. This year, junior primary students will now spend a minimum of 90 minutes a week learning science, a minimum 300 minutes on mathematics and numeracy, and a minimum of 300 minutes on literacy, while those in years 4 to 7 will spend at least 120 minutes a week on science and a minimum of 300 minutes a week each on mathematics and literacy.

We are currently in negotiations also with the federal government in relation to a new partnership agreement on improving literacy and numeracy, which will provide supports for schools where it is identified that teachers require additional support to lift the performance of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

In October last year, the former minister for education released a discussion paper titled 'Numeracy and literacy: improving foundation skills for learning and life' for consultation. We received more than 90 submissions from students, parents, teachers and professional organisations. This strategy is now being finalised, including further consultation, and will be introduced progressively during this school year. A numeracy and literacy unit will be formed to drive and evaluate this work to ensure the strategy is successful. I would like to thank those people and associations who took the time to let us know what they think is important for the education of our young people.

We also know that parents want greater clarity around the literacy and numeracy standards against which their child's progress is measured. This is why for the very first time we will require schools to monitor and report to parents against more explicit numeracy and literacy standards and set targets for improving students' achievements.

We will be making sure the lines of communication are open between parents, preschools and schools so that information learned about a child's development in preschool is shared with their new school. This will help the transition from preschool to school for children and parents. We will make sure that health and education professionals are working together through the Blue Bookto identify development and learning needs in those early years. A family numeracy and literacy website—a one-stop shop to provide resources for families to support their child's learning at home—will be developed and launched later this year.

We know that 90 per cent of brain development occurs in the first five years of a child's life, which is why we are starting with our youngest children. This is a rounded approach to numeracy and literacy in our schools. We are engaging our students at the earliest years, we are making sure those students who need additional assistance get it, and we are getting families more involved.