Schools With Internet Fibre Technology Program

Mr MURRAY (Davenport) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister please advise the house how the government is building better infrastructure for schools in Davenport and around South Australia, including by the improvement of internet speeds?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:35): I am very pleased to be able to advise the member for Davenport that the government is doing a great deal, both in his electorate and around South Australia, to ensure that South Australia and our students benefit from the best possible education services, a system that supports every child in this state to fulfil their potential and one that has excellent infrastructure both in built form and in terms of the technology they are able to use.

We have had 111 schools already—20 per cent of our public schools in South Australia—connected to our SWiFT internet, Schools with Internet Fibre Technology to the school, since the Premier and I announced it in December last year. This is an $80 million partnership with Telstra that is transforming the way our schools and our teachers are able to use the internet in their classrooms, whether for the curriculum offerings or to engage in activities, connect with the world, or indeed for professional development.

I know the member will be pleased to hear that in his electorate of Davenport Thiele Primary School was connected on 7 May, Flagstaff Hill R-7 School was connected on 28 May, Aberfoyle Park High School will be connected on Monday next week and Braeview School R-7 is scheduled for next term.

Members around the house will also be pleased to hear about some of the other projects that are happening this week. I imagine the member Ramsay will be chuffed to know that Salisbury High School was connected just yesterday. The member Ramsay will know that the Paralowie school is being connected today—

The Hon. Z.L. Bettison interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Ramsay is warned.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The Adelaide Secondary School of English, the School of Languages and the Bowden Brompton school, in the Leader of the Opposition's electorate, are all being connected to fibre-optic technology today to massively improve the services they can give the students in the Leader of the Opposition's electorate.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The East Adelaide School in the Premier's electorate today, and Marion Primary School in the member for Gibson's electorate also just today, and this week Findon High School, Gulfview Heights Primary School, Springbank Secondary College and Thebarton Senior College are all being connected.

This is a tremendously important project that will enhance the offerings in all our schools across South Australia. It is something we are immensely proud of. It is something other schooling systems are able to gain some benefit from as well because, while our project is specifically and unapologetically focused on attaching all the public schools in South Australia, the benefits extend beyond just the public school system to the Independent and Catholic school networks and, indeed, to small business and other government departments, particularly in those areas that do not currently have fibre technology rolled out to them. Telstra is able to work with those agencies, through the education department's IT people, to have them connected as well.

It is a great body of work that will enhance the capabilities of government departments, private schools, Catholic schools and, most importantly, the public schools across South Australia. I understand that there are dozens of non-government schools that are currently talking with Telstra, through the Association of Independent Schools, looking at leveraging that improved fibre-optic connection, and that will be great for those students as well.

The member for Davenport asked about support for schools in his electorate particularly. Not only is Aberfoyle Park High School gaining the opportunities offered by this fibre-optic connection next Monday but the school is also benefiting from one of the government's other programs, the expansion of the International Baccalaureate offering within our public school system. Glenunga was previously the only public school with that offering for some of their students but, as a result of this government's election policies, we are now rolling that out, and four more public schools are seeking accreditation: Unley, Norwood Morialta, Roma Mitchell and Aberfoyle Park High School.

I know that that offering, spread from the northern suburbs through Roma Mitchell to the southern suburbs in Aberfoyle Park, is giving opportunities to students across Adelaide. Hopefully, in the future we will be able to get to the country areas as well. These are great ways that we can help build the education system to be the best it can be.