Premier's Reading Challenge

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:43): I find this an exciting time of the year and not because parliamentary sitting time is about to conclude, but because of what is occurring in our schools at this time of the year.

On 21 November I was fortunate to attend the 2014 Premier's Reading Challenge reception. It was held at the reception centre at the Zoo. The Minister for Education and Child Development, many of my parliamentary colleagues, the Premier's Reading Challenge ambassadors, Humphrey B. Bear (and what a funny old fellow he is), many outstanding teachers and support staff from the education system and, most importantly, the student representatives from approximately 40 selected schools that achieved outstanding results were also there.

These schools were there so as to recognise the percentage completion of their students at the very highest level within those schools and also recognise those schools that had made the greatest improvement from the previous year. It was a fantastic event. Unfortunately the Premier could not attend, but he was ably represented by the Minister for Education at that event. As I said, this event is about recognising those particular schools. Deputy Speaker, do you know how many books have been read by students participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge since it commenced in 2004?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, but I am hoping you do.

The Hon. P. CAICA: I can tell you: in excess of 13 million books have been completed by students since it commenced in 2004, and I think that is an outstanding effort. I want to acknowledge all those students who have participated in the Premier's Reading Challenge across the spectrum of the schools that make up our school system. In particular, as you would expect, I want to congratulate those schools in my electorate in particular: St Michael's College and Henley High School; and my primary schools—Henley Beach Primary School, Fulham North Primary School, Star of the Sea, Fulham Gardens, Kidman Park, Grange Primary School, Seaton Park Primary School and St Francis School. Kidman Park was recognised as one of those 42 schools at the reception I mentioned earlier.

I was fortunate enough last week to attend Grange Primary, Fulham North and Fulham Gardens to recognise those students who completed the Premier's Reading Challenge this year, and also St Michael's recognition of their year 9 students who participated in the Premier's Reading Challenge. I think it is great to see that these schools not only recognise the outstanding efforts of their students but also have a special event to mark that particular achievement. I am looking forward next week to going to more schools not only to recognise those who have participated in and completed the Premier's Reading Challenge but also, at this time of the year, as you know yourself, Deputy Speaker, there is the excitement of attending school graduations and celebrating the achievements of students at the end of the school year.

On the matter of St Michael's, I want to make this point. What I think has been brilliant with respect to many of the high schools across the state—in this instance, St Michael's—is the number of high school students who participate in the challenge who have made the transition from primary school to high school and continue to undertake the Premier's Reading Challenge. Many of those students have now undertaken and successfully completed 10 years of the Premier's Reading Challenge. Through their English faculty, St Michael's also build the Challenge into the English curriculum that is delivered to the students, and I think that is an outstanding initiative.

I have thanked and congratulated the students, but I also want to acknowledge and thank the teachers, the support staff, the librarians and all those others who support the program and support the students undertaking the program, because everyone in this chamber would know that events like this do not happen unless you have champions who are championing that event. These outstanding people are as much champions as the students who complete the challenge themselves, and I thank and congratulate those teachers an support staff in my electorate who do that.

In closing, I want to touch on the many graduation ceremonies that I will be attending in the next week. I want to congratulate not only primary students on the successful completion of their primary school years but also high school students who will be leaving high school. I congratulate them on the work they have undertaken to get where they are today. If I can be bold enough, I thank the teachers and support staff they have had over the many years of their schooling and those who have supported them: their parents, their friends, their peers—everyone who has contributed to them being a success in the schools they attend. I thank everyone for their efforts, and I am very proud of our schools and education system.