Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012

About this Item
Speakers	Ajaka The Hon John; Sharpe The Hon Penny; Cusack The Hon Catherine; Deputy-President (The Hon Sarah Mitchell); Kaye Dr John; Deputy-President (The Hon Paul Green); Mitchell The Hon Sarah; Blair The Hon Niall; Khan The Hon Trevor; Green The Hon Paul; Phelps The Hon Dr Peter; Colless The Hon Rick; Ficarra The Hon Marie; Pavey The Hon Melinda; Fazio The Hon Amanda; President
Business	Bill, Second Reading, Third Reading, In Committee, Motion, Report Adopted

EDUCATION AMENDMENT (RECORD OF SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT) BILL 2012

Page: 9537

Second Reading

The Hon. JOHN AJAKA (Parliamentary Secretary) [8.00 p.m.], on behalf of the Hon. Duncan Gay: I move:

I seek leave to incorporate the second reading speech in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE [8.01 p.m.]: I lead for the Opposition on the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012 and indicate at the outset that the Opposition supports the bill. The object of the bill is to replace the School Certificate with a Record of School Achievement that will be available to eligible students who leave school prior to completion of the Higher School Certificate. There is no doubt that the School Certificate has been an important credential for New South Wales students since it was introduced in 1965, but we all know that the education landscape, particularly the secondary education landscape, has radically changed since then.

The vast majority of students now stay at school until year 12, but approximately 18 per cent of students do not attain the Higher School Certificate. Under landmark legislation that increased the school leaving age to 17, which was introduced when Labor was in government and which is one of the most significant secondary education reforms in the past 30 years, the trend towards staying longer at school will continue. As a result of those changes, a review was conducted by the Board of Studies in 2010—which also was when Labor was in government—and that found there was agreement that the School Certificate should be replaced by a new credential that would be based on a key set of directions. Last year the Coalition Government followed up that review with an announcement that the School Certificate would be abolished and that the Board of Studies would undertake further consultation in relation to its replacement. The bill before the House today is the culmination of that process.

The Opposition believes that establishment of the Record of School Achievement is a sensible step. New South Wales was the only State that still had a mandatory external examination in year 10. The introduction of the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy, better known as NAPLAN, involves tests in years 7 and 9, and that has created further impetus for closer scrutiny of external testing in year 10. There was also widespread agreement that students who leave school at any time between the end of year 10 and up to the Higher School Certificate level should be able to have a credential that is more comprehensive, relevant and modern, and that could capture more of what a student had achieved up to the point at which they left school.

The Record of School Achievement will be cumulative and will recognise students' achievements until the point at which they leave school. It will report results of moderated school-based assessments rather than external tests, and will be able to be compared between students across New South Wales. The Board of Studies has consulted widely and the Record of School Achievement offers a meaningful credential to students who do not stay at school to gain the Higher School Certificate. The bill also provides for the Board of Studies to provide a transcript of students' results at the request of the student or the school. The Board of Studies has given a commitment to developing a tool that will allow for extracurricular activities to be recorded. That can help to form a more comprehensive picture of a student's interests and achievements.

The project will be piloted at some schools in 2012 and will focus on opportunities that already have authentication processes in place, such as first aid, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, or the Australian Music Examinations Board certification. Many students put a lot of time and effort into those activities. There is no doubt that the experiences and skills gained can be very valuable for future employment. The opportunity to have those skills included as part of their Record of School Achievement will be welcomed by employers, students and parents alike, as will the option for online literacy and numeracy tests, which students can sit more than once. The most recent results will be presented, should they leave school prior to completion of the Higher School Certificate.

The Opposition supports the bill, but we note it is incumbent upon the Government to put in place the support necessary to ensure that the implementation of the Record of School Achievement is smooth. The Minister in the other place referred during his speech to a process of moderation that will allow for grades across the State to be consistent. That is important because school-based assessments rather than external examinations pose an additional challenge for teachers. Parents, students and employers want to know that an A in Broken Hill means the same thing as an A in Bondi. I understand that the board will provide more comprehensive samples on its assessment resource centre website, including assessment tasks and annotated graded work samples. The board also will undertake teacher workshops to provide training and support to teachers as well as monitor the allocation of grades.

This process must be properly resourced. There will be savings from the abolition of external examinations that formerly were part of the School Certificate. Community support for the Record of School Achievement grades as a result of school-based assessments will become stretched if the community does not think the grading process is fair. For that reason alone, it is important to resource the assessment process adequately. Our teachers already have that experience through standardised student reports and the grades that are allocated for the School Certificate subjects that are not externally tested, but successful implementation will require ongoing professional development and support.

The Opposition asks the Minister to ensure that a very big effort is made to make students aware of these changes. Students must request the Record of School Achievement rather than it being awarded automatically at the end of year 10. Apparently the rationale behind this is to encourage students to not view the end of year 10 as the end of schooling, and the Opposition agrees that that is important. We support measures to ensure that our Higher School Certificate completion rates increase. We know that the more years of schooling an individual completes, the more likely it is that they will have a better job, better health outcomes and better success later in life, which is why increasing school completion rates is so important. However, there is no doubt that there always will be some students who leave school at the end of year 10, or at some stage prior to completing the Higher School Certificate, for a range of reasons.

Some students may not at the time see the importance of having a Record of School Achievement and may not request it, only to subsequently realise the value of it. While I am sure it would be possible for them to obtain access to the record later in life, the Opposition believes these students should be strongly encouraged to receive their credential if and when they choose to leave school prior to achieving the Higher School Certificate or at the completion of year 10. The Opposition would like to see during implementation some extra assistance and support being made available to teachers and students in alternative learning centres. It is of course proper and appropriate that education reforms are guided by what is in the best interests of the vast majority of students, but we also know that students in alternative learning centres often come from very difficult backgrounds and disengage from school years earlier than most students.

In particular, the Opposition raises the issue of young people in out-of-home care. In this place we recently had a debate about the lack of leaving care plans for those young people. The Record of School Achievement will become essential to them as they move into adulthood. The teachers do an amazing job of re-engaging those students in formal learning, and many teachers who teach in those settings have told the Opposition that the School Certificate was a really important milestone that they could encourage their students to reach. Some of those students were probably not going to achieve their Higher School Certificate, but teachers have told the Opposition that the School Certificate was a milestone that they could really use to encourage their students to get a credential.

If Government members wish to keep talking and are not interested in this debate they could at least leave the Chamber. The teachers in these centres do an amazing job. Many of these students have disconnected for a range of reasons, often a troubled home life or mental illness or homelessness. The Opposition does not want to make it more difficult for these students to gain a credential that is beneficial to them as they go out into the wider world of work, training or further education. The Opposition supports the legislation.

The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK [8.08 p.m.]: It is the sweet breeze of change refreshing the corridors of education policy in New South Wales that brings the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012 before the House today. I note the feeble efforts of the Hon. Penny Sharpe to take credit in some way for the bill. The truth is that for 16 years under Labor this issue was in the too-hard basket. I congratulate the Minister for Education and the Government on finally making a decision to bring this important credential into the twenty-first century.

Members may recall that I worked with one of the finest education Ministers ever, a former member of this House, the late Hon. Virginia Chadwick, who implemented transformative recommendations of the Scott report called School Centred Education, which established the framework for decentralisation, increased the number of school councils from less than a dozen to over 1,000, introduced global budgeting and computerisation and, for the first time, allowed appointment on merit for school principals and other promotion positions. It is appropriate today to celebrate what the Liberals and The Nationals have brought to education. Sir Robert Askin gave teachers a 25 per cent pay rise and introduced the School Travel Scheme. Today he is still known as "the Education Premier".

[Interruption]

Opposition members can snicker, but it is the truth. This is what we do in New South Wales, and we do it extremely well. Education policy requires Liberal-Nationals governments to move it forward. The record could not be clearer on that point.

Dr John Kaye: Metherell was a catastrophe.

The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK: You are so ignorant.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe: Point of order: I cannot hear this debate. Members should not interject and the member with the call should not respond to them.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Sarah Mitchell): Order! I uphold the point of order. Members on both sides of the House will cease interjecting.

The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK: Somehow I was the victim of the point of order, but never mind. Along with the Scott report, former Minister Chadwick implemented the Carrick report through a program known as Excellence and Equity, which established for the first time genuine partnership and fairer funding for the non-government sector and created the New South Wales Board of Studies. It was a groundbreaking model that has been adopted across Australia. The board was the author of the bill before us today. Minister Chadwick was also the champion of key learning areas. Minister Chadwick introduced joint accreditation for TAFE courses to be studied in New South Wales high schools as a means of ensuring curriculum is relevant and meaningful to all students. That is another theme of the bill before the House. During her time as Minister school retention rates rocketed to record levels. We are proud of those achievements.

After 16 years of Labor, where education policy slumbered in a kind of induced coma, Minister Adrian Piccoli has picked up the baton and is once again delivering national leadership with this type of commonsense reform. I note, in the Chadwick tradition, that the bill—which replaces the School Certificate with a Record of Achievement—is the result of extensive consultation with stakeholders. This included 500 principals, teachers, students and parents at nine venues across the State, together with 450 responses to an online survey. The bill brings our high schools system of student credentials into the twenty-first century, with a modern cumulative credential that is meaningful and meets the needs of the 18 per cent of students who rely on it most—those who leave school prior to completing the Higher School Certificate. It is quite proper the new credential ensures they are given full credit for their accomplishments, both academic and non-academic; in school and out of school. As a result, it enables a fair and accurate presentation of their potential to other training organisations and future employers.

I congratulate the Minister both on the reform and the approach he has taken in making it. By patiently building the consensus case he has ensured that the new credential is untarnished by politicking. This year's year 10 students—including, I might add, my youngest son, Lachlan—can have full confidence in the value of the credential they will earn by year's end. Last weekend the Premier and Minister for Education made further landmark announcements concerning the future management of government schools. Those initiatives, like the one before the House today, will bring our schools into the modern era. They have been warmly welcomed by all those who value community and local empowerment over red tape and bureaucracy.

I am proud of my Government's strong start to education reform to return policy to our core values of excellence and equity for all. All this is being done in our first year of office. It is traditionally an area of policy strength and leadership for New South Wales Liberal-Nationals parties and in that sense we lead Australia. For decades the reforms introduced by New South Wales Liberal-Nationals governments have been groundbreaking, and have transformed education around Australia. Minister Piccoli and his team are showing the way with new groundbreaking changes, starting with the bill before the House.

Dr JOHN KAYE [8.14 p.m.]: I appreciate the passion and poetry in the speech of the Hon. Catherine Cusack, if not necessarily her accuracy. It is probably well known that I was a trenchant critic of Labor when it was in office because of many of the educational changes it made.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: You can't change, John.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I am not. I remain particularly critical of the Federal Minister and some of the absolutely crazy things he is doing, which I note are being picked up by the State with double the enthusiasm. Debate about the transformation of the school leaving certificate, which is probably the most accurate term, has been taking place for some time. Achieving a consensus on students ending year 10 and moving to a Record of School Achievement—it should be called a record of student achievement—has taken some time. There are risks associated with moving to a decentralised and disaggregated measure, such as that being proposed in this legislation. It was not that Labor dragged the chain; in fact, Labor began the debate. I recall an announcement by the former Minister for Education and Training in 2009 or 2010—

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: This began in 2000, John, and they always—

Dr JOHN KAYE: If you shut up for a minute, I could complete my sentence. You would then know what I am trying to say. I recall a media release—

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Point of order: I suggest it is out of order to tell a colleague to shut up.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I retract the remark.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! Dr John Kaye will temper his remarks.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I will endeavour to do so—although there are some challenges to that state of grace. I recall a debate on ABC Radio in 2009 or 2010 about what the replacement of the School Certificate should look like. To its credit, the former Government started the process of moving in this direction. One of the worst things that can be done to education policy is to make it partisan, particularly in relation to such things.

The Hon. Trevor Khan: You talk about being partisan.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I am beyond partisan; I stand above all such things. The former Government took steps in this direction in relation to recording the achievement of a student when he or she leaves school. To its credit, this Government is continuing along that path. There are many things to welcome about the current legislation, which The Greens support. Making students eligible for a transcript of their school achievement, including both their educational records and extracurricular activity to a date at any time after completing year 10, creates greater flexibility. It is a complement to the earn or learn legislation that was introduced two years ago. It makes sense to give students access to that sort of information when the transitions from school to work are understood to be more varied these days.

Another attractive feature of this legislation is that students, after completing year 10, will be able to download their accumulative Record of School Achievement at any time and view it. They will have a sense of where they are up to, which will be useful for many students who are planning their transition to work. Extracurricular activities will be recognised through the Record of School Achievement. I believe that is a double-edge sword. In conversations with a number of principals some have expressed concern about extracurricular activities and the equity.

Children from a high socioeconomic status background who attend a well-off school will engage in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and various other activities that are available to them because of their parents' financial and social capital. They will be compared with students from disadvantaged background who generally do not have access to those sorts of activities. The Greens have a grave concern that the Record of School Achievement will build in the risk of a bias against low socioeconomic status students. I will be interested to see how that plays out. A variety of organisations have commented on this legislation. The Teachers' Federation has largely welcomed the legislation, which is not surprising.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Uh-oh. That's a worry.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I note that a senior member of the Government takes no rest in his attempts to attack the Teachers Federation. It is a good thing to have on the record. It explains a lot.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Thank you. That just assured my preselection next time around.

Dr JOHN KAYE: I also acknowledge that. The Teachers Federation raised two sets of concerns. The first relates to the additional workload imposed on teachers. Most members know that my partner is a schoolteacher, and an excellent one at that. I watch her go through the exam-setting cycle each year and I see the effort that she puts into each exam. The concern is that the need for additional examinations will increase teachers' workloads. I do not know any teachers who complain about their workloads, but I do know that many of them are driven to extreme levels of stress because of them. It is time we took stock of many of the educational reforms that the previous Government and this Government have implemented and their impact on classroom teachers and what we expect of them.

The second issue raised by the Teachers Federation relates to the online literacy and numeracy tests. It is not mentioned in the legislation but the education Minister's media release of Thursday 16 February refers to a fully implemented Record of School Achievement offering "online literacy and numeracy tests with particular emphasis on work readiness that students will be able to undertake twice a year from next year". The concern is that that test could come to dominate the Record of School Achievement process. The Greens, the Teachers Federation, the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations and a variety of educational experts have raised concerns about the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN] hollowing out the curriculum. Concerns have been raised that the online literacy and numeracy test will have the same impact. I ask that the Parliamentary Secretary provide an assurance that the literacy and numeracy tests are optional and that they will not dominate the process. I doubt that we will get that assurance, because the Parliamentary Secretary is busy in conversation. I might come back to that later when he is paying attention.

The Teachers Federation was positive about this legislation, as was the New South Wales Secondary Principals Council. The council made the observation that the success of the legislation will depend on the quality of its implementation. The legislation places a great deal of emphasis on the Board of Studies and what it does. The previous speaker talked about the Board of Studies as a Liberal-Nationals Government invention. If it is, and I can only accept that it is, it is an extremely good one. The board has served the State exceptionally well by producing world-class curricula and regulation of schools. It has done an extremely fine job and I have no reason to believe that it will make a mistake or behave adversely in respect of the Record of School Achievement. However, we will watch the implementation stage carefully to ensure that it works and, in particular, that there is appropriate moderation of results between schools.

Moderation is done to stop grade inflation. The Californian experience, with its equivalent Record of School Achievement, saw massive grade inflation. Schools got into a competition to see who could award the most A grades. This legislation requires standardisation of results across schools to ensure that if a school chooses to inflate grades they will be deflated by the moderation process. Anyone who has had a son or daughter sit the Higher School Certificate exam would understand the concept of moderation in that context. It is a complex and brutal process. The moderation process will no doubt evolve over the next two years while the Record of School Achievement system is implemented. It will be extremely important to ensure that schools do not have any incentive to inflate grades to assist their students.

I will raise six issues of concern about the legislation. I have already referred to the first issue; that is, the extra workload imposed on teachers by removing the requirement for students across the State to be subjected to the same uniform examination and assessment process determined by an external board of studies. The Greens welcome the abolition of that test, but it means there will be more emphasis on testing in schools and therefore more pressure on schools. The Minister assured us in his speech in reply in the other place that that would not be the case. However, a number of us will be watching the situation carefully to ensure there is no significant increase in workload.

The second issue, which I will pick up during the Committee stage, deals with students for whom the school system is no longer appropriate and who leave and complete their year 10 education at a TAFE college. TAFE colleges provide them with a different environment, a new start, a less formal classroom and a more adult environment that better suits their learning style and emotional needs. The certificate in general and vocational education has proved to be a useful vehicle to get back into study for a number of students who would otherwise have fallen by the wayside. They give students the opportunity to complete year 10 and go on to obtain a certificate III and in some cases a certificate VI and sometimes even higher qualifications. Although a relatively small number of students obtain a certificate in general and vocational education, it is important for those who do because it offers them a real opportunity to re-engage.

As I read the legislation, it excludes those students who study to obtain a certificate in general and vocational education, which they can do under the learn or earn provisions of the Education Act thanks to a Greens amendment that was accepted reluctantly by the previous Government. The provisions of this legislation do not allow those students to obtain a Record of School Achievement, and that is unfair. The Greens would like the Government and the Opposition to think carefully about that and to support our proposed amendment that will allow those students who can no longer cope with school and who go to TAFE to obtain a Record of School Achievement.

The third issue, which I have raised previously and which has also been raised by the New South Wales Secondary Principals Council, relates to consistent grade awarding across schools and the need to ensure that we moderate grades in a way that is fair to all schools. The fourth issue, which I have again raised previously, is extracurricular activities. This is a highly contentious issue for some schools that have students from disadvantaged backgrounds for whom extracurricular activities are not on offer or not accepted or whose parents do not have the cultural or financial capital to allow them to participate. That builds an inherent unfairness into the Record of School Achievement. Those students who attend wealthy private schools and who have the funds to pursue an interest in those activities will have plenty of them to add to their Record of School Achievement certificate, which will give them an unfair advantage.

I have already spoken about the role of the literacy and numeracy tests. The Greens do not want to see them become the dominant component of the Record of School Achievement. Of course, literacy and numeracy are important, but education is much broader than that. Education is a far more detailed, complex, problem-solving self-realisation process that if it were hollowed out to just being literacy and numeracy would be doing a disservice not only to the children and to the employers who will eventually take them on but to our entire society. The health of our democracy and the health of our economy depend upon having well-educated children.

The final issue I raise is ongoing consultation. The Minister and his predecessors in the previous Government consulted widely with teachers, principals, students, parents, community groups and education bodies in developing the transition from a centralised School Certificate to a Record of School Achievement. That consultation has borne fruit in legislation that everybody in this Parliament can support and will provide an advance in education in New South Wales, particularly for those students who are less academically inclined. However, a lot of the Record of School Achievement, the success of the qualification, will depend upon the implementation. Getting the implementation right will require the Board of Studies and schools to be able to use this legislation to produce meaningful qualifications that students can use for their own satisfaction and also for the satisfaction of potential employers or other education providers they may seek to join at a later date.

The success of this legislation needs to be monitored very carefully through its implementation. There needs to be a path for feedback from parents, students, teachers and education experts to the Minister and the Board of Studies to make sure that we get it right. Quite often with new qualifications, as we saw with the new higher School Certificate a decade ago, there is a burning-in period, where what looks good on paper does not actually work when the rubber hits the road. We hope that the Minister will remain open and flexible to further changes, if needed. If adverse outcomes with extracurricular activities being reported on the Record of School Achievement do eventuate, the Minister might seek to moderate or modify that. It is a significant qualification for the large minority of students who do not go on and get a higher School Certificate, so it needs to be monitored fairly carefully.

We believe very strongly that support needs to be provided to teachers who educate students completing their final years of schooling. These are often difficult years when, because of the earn or learn legislation which we supported, there are an increasing number of students who are disengaged but are still enrolled in the senior years of school. Providing additional support to schools and to teachers to make sure that curriculum offerings can be relevant and engaging for those students is important. It will not only improve the quality of their Record of School Achievement, it will also improve the quality of their education. As with all education issues, it comes down to making sure that we empower teachers in the classroom and give them resources, training and support to make sure that they can carry out their vital work. We can create any number of certificates and measures along the way but in the absence of appropriate resourcing education will always fail. We need more resources for public education and a Government that is committed to making sure those resources get into the classrooms where they are most needed. The Greens support the legislation but will move an amendment.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL [8.34 p.m.]: I am pleased to speak in support of the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. As members of the House know, last year my fellow Nationals colleague and Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, announced that the School Certificate was to be abolished from 2012 and that the external tests for Year 10 students would be discontinued. The debate that has already occurred suggests that we are all in agreement that the School Certificate is well past its use-by date and there is a need for a new credential for students who leave school prior to the completion of year 12 in New South Wales. The bill will implement this policy and will omit references to the School Certificate from the definitions of "recognised certificate", replacing the omission with the Record of School Achievement. This new credential takes into account the academic results of students and their co-curricular activities.

It is the belief of this Government and various other stakeholder groups that the School Certificate no longer meets the expectations of employers and a more modern and up-to-date system is required to reflect the aspirations of students and the demands of following their chosen career paths. The new credential system will be conducted on an individual school basis but will be moderated statewide. The Record of School Achievement system will recognise a wider range of achievements and there will be more ability to understand the level of credential by potential employers. Those students who decide to leave at the conclusion of year 10 deserve a relevant and modern credential that takes into account the range of activities that they have participated in whilst at school and in a voluntary capacity rather than just formal examination results.

The Record of School Achievement will include school assessment grades for all courses completed in years 10 and 11 and a process of moderation will allow for grades across the State to be consistent. This will ensure that the credential is fairer and more equitable for all students no matter where they live in New South Wales. The bill does not make any changes to the school curriculum, nor to requirements for the registration of non-government schools or the requirement for accreditation to present candidates for Board of Studies credentials. The changes come about as a result of extensive consultation undertaken by the Board of Studies with various stakeholder groups representing parents and those involved in the schooling system. The policy was developed in response to the needs of students and those administering the credential. The consultation process included meetings with more than 500 principals, teachers, students and community members at nine venues across New South Wales and more than 450 responses to an online survey.

Students will still be required to complete year 10, participate in the required courses of study and complete to a satisfactory level assessments and examinations administered by the individual school. The Record of School Achievement will continue to be awarded by the Board of Studies to eligible students when they leave school. I pass on my congratulations to the Minister and the Board of Studies on their tremendous work in developing the Record of School Achievement, and to those who participated in the consultation process. I have enjoyed the debate on this motion and am looking forward to my colleagues speaking and to the response of the Parliamentary Secretary.

The Hon. NIALL BLAIR [8.37 p.m.]: The Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012 was introduced by the Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, after extensive consultation with chief stakeholders, including principals, teachers, students, parents and community members, to abolish the School Certificate in New South Wales. In his 1997 report, "Securing their future", on the need to restructure the Higher School Certificate, Professor Barry McGaw received submissions that outlined several deficiencies in the School Certificate, including the lack of preparedness of many students for years 11 and 12; the apparent lack of challenge posed by year 10 studies for more able students; the low stakes nature of the external assessment where students were not accountable for their own individual results; perceptions that the timing of external examinations in the middle of year 10 had lessened the significance of subsequent year 10 studies; and concerns about a perceived discontinuity between junior and senior secondary school studies.

To the students who left school after completion to year 10, the academic nature of the School Certificate often rendered it irrelevant, while to those who continued with their high school education it was often not challenging enough. When the School Certificate was first introduced in 1965—and I believe the Hon. Duncan Gay was one of the first to complete it—

The Hon. Duncan Gay: I was: I was in the first year.

The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: The leaving age for students was 15. It allowed students to leave school with a qualification that they could take to employers and gain meaningful employment, apprenticeships, or go on to vocational training. However, now that the leaving age for students in New South Wales schools has risen to 17 and the Federal Government's National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN] testing extends to year 9, the School Certificate is a redundant, outdated test, no longer relevant to students in the future. I echo the sentiment of Minister Piccoli when he spoke in the other place of the need for a credential that is "meaningful and modern". Students leaving now will be issued with a Record of School Achievement in place of the School Certificate.

One of the key achievements of the Record of School Achievement is that it is holistic in its recording of a student's achievements. Rather than being issued at the conclusion of an academic year, the Record of School Achievement will be issued to a student when they leave school—provided they meet certain conditions such as attendance and completion of year 10. The credential will include school assessment grades for all courses completed in years 10 and 11, as well as other meaningful experiences that occurred both in and outside school. These include: the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme activities, school sporting achievements and service, musical aptitude and achievement, trade qualifications and certificates, drivers licence, school service such as students representative council and peer monitoring, and life saving certifications, to name but a few.

Listing these achievements on a student's record allows a student who may not be academically focused to showcase their positive attributes and successes to prospective employers. It is essentially a school-endorsed regime—a much more relevant qualification than the School Certificate. Dr John Kaye expressed concern that schools in lower socioeconomic areas may not have access to extracurricular activities. The high school I attended at Goulburn, which predominantly covered the lower socioeconomic areas of the region, did not have access to the services that many other local schools in the area had. When I completed the Higher School Certificate I was one of only a handful of students who went to university. The majority of my peers left in year 10 to work in the local abattoir, if they could not get an apprenticeship, or in family businesses. But many of the people I went to school with, while not falling into the range of overly academic, have proved to be very successful in their working lives.

At the high school I attended we were offered a range of extracurricular activities, particularly sporting activities, which allowed students to showcase their many attributes. Employers such as the local abattoir looked for attributes such as turning up on time and completing tasks, working as part of a team, albeit a sporting one, and taking on leadership roles. Students who leave at the age of 17, not just those looking to move into academic fields or those wishing to complete further studies, will need to be able to demonstrate all of those attributes. I congratulate Minister Piccoli on the community consultations that led to the decision to replace the School Certificate with the Record of School Achievement. The bill is in line with our outstanding education system and the desire of the Department of Education and Board of Studies to respond to the shifting demands of a modern community. It will be a breath of fresh air for many students, particularly those in rural communities who want to get their hands dirty, to be able to showcase the attributes that many of our regional employers are looking for. I commend the bill to the House.

The Hon. TREVOR KHAN [8.43 p.m.]: I speak briefly in support of the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. I do so in three guises. First, I speak in the guise of a parent who in the past five years had a child undertake the School Certificate. At that time the complete irrelevance of it to my son's academic achievement was very evident. It was not even used for the purposes of determining his subject selection in years 11 and 12 or at what level those subjects would be. In that sense, if not a hindrance, it was an inconvenience to the many year 10 students who were preparing for their later years at school. For a considerable time now the School Certificate has outlived its usefulness. For well over 20 years a decreasing number of students have been leaving school at year 10. The bill is long overdue. Speaking in the guise of my early employment as a personnel and industrial officer some 25-plus years ago—

The Hon. Penny Sharpe: I think it is more than 25 years.

The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: It might be getting closer to 30. As a personnel and industrial officer the decision being made at that time was that young people in year 10 were not old enough to cope with the demands of trades such as electrical trades. One of the perceptions of all trades was that from an occupational health and safety aspect, but that was not the terminology used all those years ago—

The Hon. Penny Sharpe: Plus, plus.

The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: Plus, plus. One of the perceptions was that the maturity of the kids was not high enough to justify bringing them into the workforce. We were consistently encouraging young people—even those who looked as if they would make good apprentices—to complete years 11 and 12 before commencing their apprenticeships. Finally, I speak in the guise of a community member. Young people are now undertaking vocational training whilst still at school. This has been very important to those young people as they transition from a school to a work environment. They also benefit from the extracurricular activities performed through schools that they would necessarily lose if they went straight into the workforce.

I refer in particular, coming from a rural area, to the various sporting activities that young people engage in at school. That vocational training, combined with a continuing element of schooling, is very important in achieving outcomes for both the students and employers, and it should be encouraged. This bill will assist in the process of young people seeing relevance in continuing at school for a bit longer so as to gain skills and maintain companionship while making the transition into the workforce. This important piece of legislation is a hallmark of the Government. It will be seen in the history of this Government as an important step in achieving outcomes for the young people in our community.

The Hon. PAUL GREEN [8.48 p.m.]: The Christian Democratic Party supports the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. The object of the bill is to amend the Education Act 1990 to replace the School Certificate with a Record of School Achievement. The examinations or other assessments for the new credential will be conducted on a school basis but will be moderated on a statewide basis. The bill will also provide for a more extensive record of student results and other activities during years 10, 11 and 12. I also note that the schedule substitutes for section 94 of the Act to make provision for the grant of a Record of School Achievement instead of a School Certificate.

The Christian Democratic Party notes that schedule 1 [18] substitutes for section 98 of the Act, which currently makes provision for the issue of a Record of School Achievement to students in years 10, 11 and 12. The substituted section will require a more extensive record of student results and other student activities while at school to be kept and provided by the Board of Studies. Of course, students who complete year 10 or who undertake courses in years 11 or 12 will be entitled to be provided with relevant transcripts of study, whether or not they have been granted a Record of School Achievement or Higher School Certificate. Like the Hon. Trevor Khan, I have a few kids at school. I just happen to have them in year 11, year 10, Year 8, year 7, year 6 and year 5, so I welcome this bill. If they are anything like their father, they are going to need this approach to get the same sorts of opportunities that their father got. During most of my time at school I certainly felt like a square peg in a round hole.

The Hon. Rick Colless: You did go to Hawkesbury; that makes it all right.

The Hon. PAUL GREEN: Hawkesbury accepts all sorts—even you. I think the bill is fantastic. For too long, academic assessments have been used to determine whether a person would be successful in life. I think most members in this Chamber have lived long enough to know that we all have gifts and talents that are wide and varied. I have been reflecting on my time in home science class. Some of my friends in that class were not academic but, I tell you what, their food was pretty good. They had a real talent for cooking. People like them are now getting a go on My Kitchen Rules or Junior MasterChef. They may have failed miserably academically but they have other gifts and talents.

This is a fantastic reform and the Government is to be congratulated on going down this path. Members who have had the opportunity to attend a school reunion realise that school academic achievements do not mean a heck of a lot at the end of the day. It is more about character: Who you are as a person and your integrity are the bases for where you get in life. That is not to take away from those who are academics and who do very well—may God bless them. But for the rest of us, long may we live. The Christian Democratic Party supports this fantastic bill. Long after we have left this place we will be very proud that it was passed.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS [8.52 p.m.]: In 1954 Sir Harold Wyndham was appointed to chair a committee tasked to complete a review of the secondary education system in New South Wales and to make recommendations for improvements to be implemented. Of course, when you wanted something done you went to a Fort Street High School graduate, and Sir Harold Wyndham was that. Indeed, Fort Street has produced three directors general of education: Sir Harold Wyndham, who held the post for a remarkable 17 years; David Verco, who held it from 1969 to 1972; and Fenton Sharpe, who held it from 1988 to 1991. Three directors general of education—a record unparalleled in this State—were the product of Fort Street High School.

The committee's report—popularly referred to as the Wyndham report—was presented to the Minister in October 1957 and it gave rise to the Public Education Act 1961, which came into effect in 1962. Among the key changes was the objective of presenting all students with the opportunity to experience a wide range of subjects, including visual arts, industrial arts, music and drama, and a wide range of languages. The five-year secondary school system as it existed at that time was abandoned in favour of adding another year to the course, with major statewide external examinations at the end of the tenth, School Certificate, and the twelfth, Higher School Certificate, years of schooling.

The Wyndham report came about at a time when progression to university was a very rare event—certainly much rarer than it is today. Wyndham attempted to create a meaningful year 10 equivalent to what had been known previously as the Leaving Certificate. This was introduced for those students who did not intend to pursue academic careers—years 11 and 12 were originally supposed to prepare students to progress to university studies. It was the bedrock from which they could go into the community and show their employers they had the skills that would enable them to fulfil whatever role they sought at the time.

However, Professor Barry McGaw in his 1977 report, "Shaping Their Future", was highly critical of the School Certificate. His report noted multiple deficiencies, including the lack of preparedness of many students for years 11 and 12, and the apparent lack of a challenge that year 10 studies posed for more able students. When I studied the School Certificate syllabus in 1983 I was completely unchallenged by it, as I think were the majority of my peers at Fort Street. As I recall—correct me if I am wrong—at that stage it was an external examination for only two subjects, English and mathematics. The school did not receive anything lower than a B, and the overwhelming majority of results were of the A variety.

But this led to another problem concerning the low-stakes nature of the external assessment. Students were not accountable for their individual results. In effect, students studied and sat an external exam but the grading—A, B, C, D or E—was awarded to the school, which would then distribute the grades as it saw fit. In other words, individual students may have performed to an A level in the exam but they would never know, because if the school determined through its internal examination processes that they were in the B cohort that is what they received.

Another fault that Professor McGaw found was the perception that the timing of external examinations in the middle of year 10 lessened the significance of subsequent year 10 studies. Of course, that did not affect me because I was an extremely diligent student and even after the School Certificate examinations were finished I could not wait to engross myself in further studies. However, one or two students may have been enchanted by the prospect of an early summer being thrust upon them. Finally, there were concerns about perceived discontinuity between the junior and senior secondary school studies. Professor McGaw recommended that the School Certificate be abolished and replaced for students leaving school with a statement of achievement, which would include each student's results in statewide tests in literacy and numeracy, as well as school-based results in all courses completed in year 10.

Despite Professor McGaw's recommendations, the Labor Government retained the School Certificate, although major changes were made to its structure and timing in order to address some of the concerns listed. The disparity between the recommendations of the McGaw report and the actions taken by the Labor Government led to frequent rumours and press reports about the ultimate abolition of the School Certificate. However, Labor remained committed to the School Certificate for several years and it is only under this Government—the enlightened Government of Barry O'Farrell and Andrew Stoner, and particularly the enlightened Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli—that we have finally done away with this anachronism. It was a good idea at the time and it served the State well for most of those 50 years. However, there is a time for reform and for renewal, and this Government is delivering on reform and renewal.

One of the major changes is of course the removal of the need for centralised testing. I have to say that I am quite happy about this, especially when I look at the School Certificate tests. Under the former School Certificate arrangement, students were tested in English, mathematics, science, computing skills and Australian history, geography, civics and citizenship—the paper that most engrossed me. Do members think I could resist the temptation of going through the 2010 edition of the Australian history, geography, civics and citizenship paper? No, I could not. I put myself in the position of a malleable 15-year-old being taught by a teacher of the same general variety as Dr John Kaye. I said to myself, "That would be a fairly reasonable position to put myself in."

Dr John Kaye: Point of order: As the remark refers to me, I state that I am not an historian or a schoolteacher, and never have been.

The Hon. Lynda Voltz: You should withdraw that.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: I do withdraw that comment. Dr John Kaye has not taught in secondary schools, but I imagined that he had. I put Dr John Kaye in front of the social studies classroom and asked myself, "If I were doing a course in Australian history, civics and citizenship what would I be hearing from Dr John Kaye—or someone like him, roughly proximate, within the general stratosphere of the New South Wales Teachers Federation? What would I be taught?" The first page of the test asks about the United Nations and UNESCO. The next page also asks about the United Nations and this time it has a quote about the founding of the United Nations. Named there significantly is former Labor Prime Minister Forde and former Minister for External Affairs, Dr H. V. Evatt. Where did this come from? It is a direct quote from a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade document that has been placed in this test for malleable minds to think about. It states:

That is well and good, but if we go back to some of the contemporary scholarship about Doc Evatt we find that some of his views about the United Nations were substantially different from the hagiography that has been heaped upon him in the years since. As I recall, during a discussion on the role of the great powers and the security council he said—it is not purported because it is included in Department of External Affairs documents—"I don't care about the great nations and their veto power as long as we are part of them." In other words, this great internationalist did not care as long as Australia had a say. So H. V. Evatt is brought into the test. Then there is more on the United Nations—

The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Point of order: My point of order is relevance. We are debating the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. The member has mentioned Herbert Evatt. He does not bother quoting writers such as Wilenski, who wrote about the Australian-United States approach to the United Nations and stated:

This issue has nothing to do with the long title of the bill.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Sarah Mitchell): Order! I understand the point of order.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: To the point of order: The debate is about the School Certificate, and I am reading from the School Certificate test. How is that irrelevant to the debate?

The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Further to the point of order: The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps was not quoting from the School Certificate test. He had moved on to Evatt and a quote that had nothing to do with it.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: It is in the School Certificate. Do you want me to table it?

The Hon. Lynda Voltz: You should table the document because that was not the quote you used.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: I will.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Sarah Mitchell): Order! I am listening carefully to the member's contribution. He is close to being outside the terms of the bill. While I will allow him to continue his speech, I remind him of the need to be generally relevant.

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: It is a good thing the School Certificate is being abolished because I am demonstrating that as an educational device it is useless and as a propaganda device it is very good—especially when the sort of teacher one might expect from the New South Wales Teachers Federation is teaching the course. No doubt a well-balanced view of the United Nations would come from the sort of teacher that Dr Kaye would be. On page 6 we come up against Aboriginal culture in the 1950s, with discussion about assimilationism, integration, the 1967 referendum and the Stolen Generations. I can imagine how that would be taught. Page 7 includes an extract from Paul Keating's Redfern speech, which covers most of the page. I wonder how the Mabo decision would be taught and what the right answers would be as far as certain people are concerned.

The Korean War is also taught. I will relate a personal experience. The history teacher at my school reported that one of the great achievements in his teaching career was turning a Korean student against his family by explaining the Marxist interpretation of the Korean War—another great example. The School Certificate test deals also with the Communist Party Dissolution Act and Prime Minister Menzies. I have no idea who would be portrayed as the good guys and who would be portrayed as the bad guys. There then follows more on the 1951 referendum. Then we come to the Vietnam War. Will our soldiers be portrayed well or will it be the protest element? Will it be the men and women of the Royal Australian Regiment or the Vietcong who are the heroes in this? Indeed, one of the first questions on the Vietnam War asks which Australian Prime Minister supported Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War.

What has been conveniently not been included in the question is that Arthur Calwell was a very strong supporter of fighting the Communist insurgency in South Vietnam; he only disagreed with the way of doing it. He was opposed to conscription but he was very happy to support Diem and his regime in South Vietnam. Of course, there is no mention of that—only who supported and who opposed Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. We then move on to conscientious objectors. I wonder who the heroes will be in that story. There is a photo of people burning their national service registration cards. I wonder who the heroes are in that little story. Finally, the test asks: What was the main aim of the schools' moratorium campaign? We see all the way through these questions with multiple-choice answers that there is a right question—or maybe we should say there is a left answer. There is a left answer to each of these questions and to score full marks students have to recite the same leftist mantra that will give them those marks.

Finally, we come to the essay section. The first topic is: Outline one change in the lives of women or migrants in post-World War II Australia. That is fair enough. The second is: Why is the Petrov affair considered an important event in Australia's response to the threat of communism? I wonder how many 15-year-old school students are going to be assigned Robert Manne's book on the Petrov affair—which, despite Manne's predilections for left-wing enthusiasms, remains the defining account. I wonder how many of those students will be given access to information about the Venona decrypts, which demonstrated that there were comprehensive Soviet networks in Australia? I wonder how many year 10 students even know about the Venona decrypts—or will they just hear about how Bob Menzies was a horrible beast who tried to outlaw free speech in Australia? I have a pretty good idea what version they would get if the Dr Kayes of the world were teaching them. The test continues: Select a Prime Minister from the box below—Ben Chifley, Robert Menzies, Harold Holt, John Gorton, Billy McMahon, Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd.

The Hon. Duncan Gay: Where is Jack McEwen?

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: Yes, where is Black Jack McEwen? No, there is no censorship. Just keep walking. The next question is about the rights and freedoms of Aboriginal people in the twentieth century. Again, I am sure there will be certain views that should be expressed to get maximum marks. Finally, we got to geography and I thought, "Thank heavens, there are maps and latitude and longitude and location of seas." But wait on—here we go:

Another question asks:

Here we go: "What issue affecting Australian environments is represented by source B?" Again, it is more greenie environmentalism. There are a few more maps and a few more graphs and then we come to ecological sustainability. Oh no, there is no political agenda here. Not much! Just play right to The Greens' strengths; play to the sorts of things that make people google "ecological sustainability". The next essay is about proposed development in an environmentally sensitive area. What are students supposed to do? They must identify a group likely to oppose one of the proposed developments—not support one of the developments—and describe the likely impact of one of these proposed developments on the environment. There is nothing about jobs, nothing about employment, nothing about tourism, nothing about increasing productivity—nothing like that. But we certainly want to find out who would want to oppose those sorts of developments. But wait, there's more.

The next question is about negative future impacts on the Australian environment. The question after that is about Australia's global and regional links and asks the student to choose from aid, defence, migration or trade. Finally, what can only be described as the Bob Carr question asks the student to discuss Australia's current and future population trends. Guess what the correct answer will be for that one? It depends on whether one follows the Bob Carr school of limited growth and lack of development or believe in an Australia that is going forward and promoting itself to the world. It is good that the School Certificate is dead and buried if this is the standard of teaching. It is good that no longer will students' malleable 15-year-old minds be manipulated by left-wing academics who try to create a new generation of green left-wing extremists through the education system. I commend the Minister for his efforts.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS [9.12 p.m.]: I support the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. I congratulate the previous speaker on the very careful assessment he gave of the School Certificate. Today the Minister has brought forward a bill introducing a new credential and one that is an important part of preparing our students for the world they will enter. The Record of School Achievement recognises learning over senior secondary schooling in a way that will be meaningful to our students and their communities. It is a reflection of the recent changes in our education system and prepares students for the many more changes they will face in future.

Both here and abroad, secondary school systems continue to undergo an historical transformation. Initially established to serve a minority as an educational transition to higher education, upper secondary schooling is now undertaken by the majority of students, with lifelong learning becoming a condition for successful employment and for life. The drivers of this transformation are familiar and well documented: the rise of youth unemployment in the 1970s and 1980s, technical change and its impact on structural occupation and employment, and globalisation and the emergence of a knowledge-based society. While the policy response has varied, developed economies have looked to education as a foundation stone on which to maintain their economic growth and the employment capacities of their citizens.

Education authorities and individual school communities are responding with a range of curriculum, assessment and structural innovations that seek to broaden access to their senior qualifications and create credible pathways for this more diverse student group. This has led many to rethink the traditional organisational structures of schooling. In general, the trend is to place greater emphasis on continuity within the whole education system rather than on different levels and categories. In the past we saw that continuity. An issue that has been discussed in this House many times over the past couple of years is the link between Hurlstone Agricultural High School, Hawkesbury Agricultural College and Sydney university.

In the past there was a very strong link between those three organisations. The previous speaker referred to some of the great graduates of the schools in those days. From the Hurlstone-Hawkesbury-Sydney university system we had people such as Roy Watts, the former Director General of Agriculture, and Irvine Armstrong Watson, who was a wheat breeder of international esteem and after whom the I. A. Watson Wheat Research Centre at Narrabri is named.

The Hon. Sarah Mitchell: It's a good place.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: It is a very good place, and they do some fantastic work there developing new varieties of wheat every year. Of course, the other famous person who went through the Hurlstone-Hawkesbury-Sydney university process was Tom Hungerford, who authored a book called Livestock Disease, which for some 45 or 50 years has been the bible that all veterinarians, livestock producers, farmers and others use as their primary—

Dr John Kaye: Trevor has one by his bed.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: Dr John Kaye does not know what I am talking about so he should be quiet and not make fun of a man like Tom Hungerford. Dr John Kaye claims to be the doyen of supporters of public education but Tom Hungerford went through that system and rose to great heights. Dr John Kaye does not know what he is talking about.

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: Point of order: It is relevance. The Hon. Rick Colless should be speaking to the bill before the House and not berating other members in the Chamber because they do not know some obscure agricultural figure who went to the same college that he did.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! I do not uphold the point of order, not because I went to the same agricultural college as the Hon. Rick Colless but because the member is being generally relevant to the bill.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: The last remark made by this member over here is extraordinary. She has just insulted all people in regional New South Wales—

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: She? Point of order—

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: The Hon. Amanda Fazio has just insulted all people in regional New South Wales.

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: My point of order is that if the member wishes to refer to me in debate he should do so using my proper title and not by referring to me in some sort of derogatory way as "she". I find that very offensive.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! The member corrected himself. However, I remind members that they should address other members by their correct titles.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: I withdraw the reference to "she". The Hon. Amanda Fazio has insulted all the people in regional New South Wales again, as she constantly does, by referring to some obscure agricultural process. That sums up where those on the other side are coming from. They do not care about what happens outside their little enclave in Sydney. She does not know Tom Hungerford, the work he did or the great respect with which he is held in New South Wales.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe: What has that got to do with the year 10 certificate?

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: It has everything to do with the year 10 certificate because the three people I have just mentioned did their junior schooling at Hurlstone Agricultural High School, their intermediate schooling at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, and went on to become highly trained academics through the University of Sydney.

Dr John Kaye: And they did the School Certificate.

The Hon. RICK COLLESS: You have not followed this argument because you are not interested in what is happening. That rigidly divided system that has developed in later years through the School Certificate process is seen more as an impediment than an incentive for aged cohorts to complete their schooling as it was in those days when they went through that early process. Despite the trend towards blurring boundaries between different levels of schooling, lower secondary schooling in most jurisdictions, including New South Wales, still prioritises a fairly broad set of subjects and competencies. The universal provision of schooling within these purposes is often understood in respect of learning entitlement. Rigorous quality assurance processes are needed to guarantee public confidence in the delivery of this entitlement to all students.

The Record of School Achievement is part of a suite of reforms in New South Wales that are providing meaningful and attractive options to students who do not complete the Higher School Certificate. The Record of School Achievement will support the goal of increasing student retention at school; provide an official recognition of learning to those students who leave school prior to receiving a Higher School Certificate; be available when students leave school after completing year 10 and want to go on to a productive career; be cumulative, recognising a student's academic and other school achievements up until the point at which they leave school; and be comparable statewide.

The abolition of the School Certificate is an important symbolic change that is intended to alter perceptions around the completion of year 10. Whereas in the past it signalled the end of mandatory schooling, the new credential should be seen as a pathway to employment and to the senior years of school. New South Wales school students should see their learning as a continuum that will last throughout their lives. Today the New South Wales education system prepares students for industries and jobs that do not yet exist, by providing them with the skills to access changing knowledge in the future. Our students need to be confident, flexible learners, able to cope well with change. They need to be prepared for the challenges of the future, to be able to develop innovative solutions to issues as they emerge.

The Record of School Achievement is a credential that better prepares our students for the world they will face. It recognises that their learning is on a continuum and does not signal a finishing point at the end of year 10. It recognises that their learning achievements occur in many areas of their life and are relevant to future employers and trainers. It recognises that their learning needs to be communicated in a way that is meaningful to them and their communities. I congratulate the Minister for Education on the reforms contained within this bill.

The Hon. MARIE FICARRA (Parliamentary Secretary) [9.23 p.m.]: I support the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. The number of members who have contributed to this debate is a reflection of the importance of this issue. Most members would have gone through the School Certificate system. We know that this legislation is long overdue. We need to modernise the accreditation of our student's public education to meet the demands of tomorrow's workforce. The current credential in New South Wales, the School Certificate, is outdated and does not accurately reflect the individualised education our students are receiving. I commend my colleague the Hon. Adrian Piccoli, the Minister for Education, for being proactive in introducing this legislation as part of this Government's commitment to ongoing improvements to the education of our students in New South Wales.

In today's increasingly competitive global economy, Australians cannot afford to sit idly by and allow themselves to be surpassed by other countries that are developing better curriculums and constantly re-evaluating their public education system. Australia enjoys one of the world's highest standards of living because we made education a priority and refused to settle for mediocrity. If we are to maintain our lifestyle and global status as a leader in educational reforms, we need to ensure we are providing our students with the best education we can offer. This begins with updating the way we evaluate students' academic achievements.

This bill amends the Education Act 1990 to provide a new school credential, the Record of School Achievement, for students who choose to leave school prior to attaining their Higher School Certificate. This reform is a modern education standard reflecting the demands for a more holistic evaluation of academic achievement needed by students, employers and the broader global economy. If our students are to compete in today's job market they need an evaluation standard that accurately illustrates their broad-based achievements and intellect. This credential will reflect what students have achieved in respect of the New South Wales curriculum, as well as other studies such as extracurricular contributions within their school and community. It will be a fair and balanced assessment that will serve them well in their future careers, further education and job hunting. These may include vocational courses, leadership achievements, first aid courses, language proficiency, and other academic and leadership awards.

The Record of School Achievement will be made available to students who have attended a public school, an accredited private school or a recognised school outside New South Wales. They must have completed courses of study that fulfil the board's curriculum and exam requirements that are established for the Record of School Achievement, satisfied any other regulations or requirements—such as attendance or conduct set forth by the Minister of the board—and completed year 10. Students who meet these requirements in 2012 will be the first students eligible to receive this award. This credential is distinct from other academic awards because it cannot be awarded while a student is still actively enrolled; it is awarded only after a student meets all of these requirements and leaves school.

These reforms do not reflect a centralised approach to the public education system in New South Wales. They were thoughtfully drafted so as to not infringe upon the responsibilities of local school boards. New section 94 proposed by the bill will no longer require mandatory statewide tests. Instead, examinations that schools may wish to utilise in their internal assessment program will be included in the new standard but will be moderated in a manner determined by the Board of Studies. This will ensure that schools are maintaining their ability to customise courses based on the specific needs of their students, and to ensure that a grade in one subject awarded to a student in one school is consistent with the same grade awarded in the same subject at another New South Wales school.

New section 98 makes provisions that ensure the Board of Studies will keep an accurate record of a student's results in courses of study undertaken in years 10, 11 and 12 for a recognised certificate at a public school or an accredited private school. The record leaves room for any other non-academic achievements that the board sees fit to include. This new section allows the board to provide a transcript of studies to any person or body authorised by the regulations. Furthermore, it takes into account the special academic needs of many of our intellectually disabled students in New South Wales by allowing the board to provide a special record of achievement to these students who undertake formal courses of study.

This Record of School Achievement will paint a clear picture of a student's intellectual ability, and form a comprehensive account of the student's interests, commitments, achievements and strengths in community related areas other than school. Today's employers are seeking more than simply an academic transcript from students. They want a credential that paints a clear picture of the student's experiences and overall capacity to be a valued employee who can make positive contributions to their industry or sector of employment.

We all agree that New South Wales has led Australia in providing the very best future for its citizens. Accordingly, modern reforms are needed to ensure this proud tradition of excellence continues in the twenty-first century. Like my colleagues, I thank the Minister for Education, the Hon. Adrian Piccoli, for his unwavering commitment to improving the performance of schools in consultation with the New South Wales Board of Studies, parents, educators, students and stakeholder groups. We thank all these entities for their invaluable perspectives, which were vital in crafting this effective, new-age legislation. I commend the bill to the House.

The Hon. MELINDA PAVEY (Parliamentary Secretary) [9.31 p.m.]: I welcome the introduction of the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. My friend the Minister for Education has introduced a bill that delivers a new credential that will be an important part of preparing our students for the world into which they will move. This is a most appropriate piece of legislation in the new millennium and is designed to deal with the modern age of education. The Record of School Achievement will recognise learning over the senior secondary years in a way that will be meaningful to our students and their communities. It is a reflection of recent changes in our education system and it will prepare students for the many more changes they will face. It has taken a Liberal-Nationals Government to have the courage to introduce this important reform.

I sat my School Certificate exam some 28 years ago and, if I recall correctly, the Hon. Rodney Cavalier was the Minister for Education at the time. He was an inspirational Minister for Education. In fact, he was so inspirational that the Teachers Federation representative at my high school—the Orara High School—stopped him visiting my commerce class. Knowing that he was a member of the Labor Party, I was confused that a union member would prevent him visiting my class. Much has changed, but much has remained the same. Rodney Cavalier was probably trying to do very brave things—

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: They tore him down.

The Hon. MELINDA PAVEY: Yes, they did.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe: So you were great Rodney supporters.

The Hon. MELINDA PAVEY: I tried.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: He writes a very good book.

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: It was rubbish and it wasn't even edited properly.

The Hon. MELINDA PAVEY: I acknowledge that interjection. However, 28 years on, we have another inspirational Minister who has the courage to modernise our education system. Both here and abroad, secondary school systems continue to undergo historical transformation. We have been stifled for many years in New South Wales, but this new Minister has now unleashed us. Initially established to serve a minority as an educational transition to higher education, upper secondary schooling is now undertaken by the majority of students, with lifelong learning becoming a requirement for successful employment and life.

The drivers of this transformation are familiar and well documented: the rise of youth unemployment in the 1970s and 1980s; technical change and its impact on structural occupation and employment; globalisation; and the emergence of a knowledge-based society. While the policy response has varied, developed economies have looked to education as a foundation on which to maintain their economic growth and the employment capacity of their citizens.

Education authorities and individual school communities are responding with a range of curriculum, assessment and structural innovations that seek to broaden access to senior qualifications and to create credible pathways for this more diverse student group. This has led many to rethink the traditional organisational structures of schooling. In general, the trend is to place greater emphasis on continuity within the whole education system rather than on different levels and categories. A rigidly divided system is seen as an impediment rather than an incentive for age cohorts to complete their schooling. This legislation is an appropriate response in the new millennium.

Despite the trend toward blurring the boundaries between different levels of schooling, lower secondary schooling in most jurisdictions, including New South Wales, still prioritises a broad set of subjects and competencies. The universal provision of schooling with these purposes is often understood in terms of a learning entitlement. Rigorous quality assurance processes are needed to guarantee public confidence in the delivery of this entitlement to all students. The Record of School Achievement is part of a suite of reforms that are providing meaningful and attractive options to students who do not complete their Higher School Certificate.

The Record of School Achievement will support the goal of increasing student retention and it will provide official recognition of learning to those students who leave school prior to receiving their Higher School Certificate. It will be available when a student leaves school after completing year 10, it will be cumulative, it will recognise a student's academic and other school achievements up until the point at which they leave school and it will be comparable statewide. The abolition of the School Certificate is an important symbolic change that is intended to alter perceptions about the completion of year 10. Whereas in the past it signalled the end of mandatory schooling, the new credential should be seen as a pathway to employment and to the senior years of school. That is the most important point. New South Wales school students should see their learning as a continuum throughout their lives. Today, the New South Wales education system prepares students for industries and jobs that do not yet exist by providing them with the skills they need to access changing knowledge in the future.

The Hon. Amanda Fazio: We've heard that line before.

The Hon. MELINDA PAVEY: It is a line worth repeating. Our students need to be confident, flexible learners who are able to cope well with change. They need to be prepared for the challenges of the future and to be able to develop innovative solutions to issues as they emerge. The Record of School Achievement is a credential that better prepares our students for the world they will face. It recognises that their learning is on a continuum and does not signal a finishing point at the end of year 10. It recognises that learning achievements occur in many areas of their life and are relevant to future employers and trainers. It recognises that their learning needs to be communicated in a way that is meaningful to them and to their communities. I congratulate the Minister for Education on the reforms contained in this bill. They are long overdue.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO [9.38 p.m.]: Like my colleague the Hon. Penny Sharpe, I support the Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012. However, I must put on the record the consultations that were done with the education community and the community of parents by the Labor Government.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: This has been going on for a decade.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I acknowledge that interjection. The Hon. Catherine Cusack is correct.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Hear! Hear!

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I point out to the honourable member that the Coalition has been in government for less than a year. The hard graft and all the work that is the background to this legislation and the important changes made to public education in New South Wales have been done by the Labor Government. I suggest that the only reason Minister Piccoli has not managed to muck up this process is that the preparatory work was done before he assumed responsibility for the Education portfolio. In speaking in support of this bill I note that I have not been given multiple speaking notes by the Minister's office. Obviously copious notes have been passed around on the Government benches like menus in a Chinese restaurant. Government members have simply read out the notes that have been given to them and have not bothered to listen to their colleagues.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Point of order: I absolutely object to that allegation and smear from the Hon. Amanda Fazio. I wrote my own speech and it is clear that all government members have done likewise.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: Is the member using a point of order as a debating point?

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: No. I ask the Hon. Amanda Fazio to withdraw that allegation. That is outrageous.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! The Hon. Catherine Cusack is asking the Hon. Amanda Fazio to withdraw the allegation that members did not prepare their own speeches. I prepared mine.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: To the point of order—

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: I absolutely insist that mine was personally prepared.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I absolutely insist on my right to speak to the point of order. The Hon. Catherine Cusack should sit down and stop screaming incoherently.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! The Hon. Catherine Cusack has taken a point of order. Members will resume their seats when a point of order is taken. The Hon. Amanda wishes to speak to the point of order.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: If the Hon. Catherine Cusack is so distressed by my allegation that Government members were using prepared speech notes from the Minister's office, I will of course withdraw that comment in relation to her. As I was saying, the familiarity of phrase—the repetition—leads me to believe that those speeches were not all their own work.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Further to the point of order—

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: The member has to make a new point of order, if she wants to.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Paul Green): Order! The member will resume her seat. The Hon. Catherine Cusack took exception to comments made by the Hon. Amanda Fazio. The member withdrew those comments. If the Hon. Catherine Cusack wishes to take a new point of order, she will have to seek the call.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Point of order: My new point of order is that the Hon. Amanda Fazio made an allegation against all members of the Government. I appreciate that it was withdrawn in relation to my contribution. I listened carefully to the contributions of other Government members. All those speeches were prepared by them personally, with a great deal of attention to the detail of the legislation. I ask that the Hon. Amanda Fazio withdraw her allegation in relation to all Government members.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: To the point of order: Multiple rulings from occupants of the Chair state that collective comments and collective insults made about members of political parties are not outside the standing orders. I advocate that the objection by the Hon. Catherine Cusack to my second set of comments is clearly not a valid point of order. I have withdrawn unreservedly the comments to which the Hon. Catherine Cusack took exception. However, I would argue that there is no valid point of order before the Chair at the moment.

The Hon. Duncan Gay: To the point of order: The previous ruling was that the Hon. Catherine Cusack found it offensive that the Hon. Amanda Fazio indicated that she had a prepared speech, for which dutifully there was an apology. Straight after that apology, the indication was that all Government members had prepared speeches. Surely by saying that all Government members had prepared speeches she once again had included the Hon. Catherine Cusack. Not being content to have slurred her once and made an apology, she then sneakily did it again. The member once again asked for an apology because once again she is offended. Frankly, I think she has every right to feel offended.

The Hon. Walt Secord: Bringing in the big guns.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can assure the Hon. Walt Secord that I have been following the proceedings.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: Further to the point of order: If the Deputy Leader of the Government had been listening carefully, he would have noted that I said there were remarkable similarities in the comments made in some of the speeches, which is what led me to believe that the speeches had not been prepared by individual members. Also in her comments to the point of order the Hon. Catherine Cusack stated as fact that she knew that everybody had prepared their own speeches, which I believe is very difficult for people to understand.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Members will cease interjecting. I cannot hear the member's point of order.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I still assert that there is no point of order because any insult which I was making was a collective insult, which is allowable—

The Hon. Duncan Gay: Now you have just admitted it.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I said if I had—you should listen more carefully. If I had made offensive comments, they were of a collective nature, not an individual nature, and I have apologised to the only member so far who has taken exception.

The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: I will conclude my speech by noting that in the past, when we were in government and those on the other side were in opposition, if more than one backbencher spoke in support of a government bill howls of complaint came because we were told we were wasting the time of the House. Tonight we have seen exactly what those on the other side objected to when in opposition. It is hypocritical. We all know what this is about. It is all about getting people's speech numbers up in case the Daily Telegraph does an audit.

The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Point of order: The Hon. Amanda Fazio is casting aspersions on a member of the Government who spoke passionately in favour of this legislation. The interest and care in the preparation of the remarks reflect how passionately we feel on this side of the House, and her remarks are casting aspersions on us for asserting our right to speak.

The PRESIDENT: Order! While I understand the line of argument that the Hon. Catherine Cusack is putting, the Hon. Amanda Fazio has not made personal reflections against an individual. Therefore, she is within the terms of the standing orders.

The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO: Thank you, Mr President. I have concluded my speech.

The Hon. JOHN AJAKA (Parliamentary Secretary) [9.45 p.m.], in reply: I thank all 12 members for their contribution to the debate. The Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012 is clearly a good bill. I congratulate the Minister for Education on introducing it. As far as I am aware, all stakeholders have shown their support for the bill. The only stakeholder who I am not sure showed support for this was my daughter No. 4, who did her School Certificate last year and was shattered that we did not bring this bill in earlier. However, daughters 5 and 6 have not done their School Certificate and are extremely happy.

I shall deal with issues raised by a number of members. The Board of Studies is aware of the need to implement this with care and, of course, it will do so. I am sure that it will take into account the feedback received as the Record of School Achievement system becomes a reality. I am sure the Board of Studies is aware of the need for moderation and will undertake this with all due care—after all, it currently looks after the Higher School Certificate. Extracurricular activities can be added by the board, if required, following appropriate consultation. Types of activities are not closed off by this legislation.

The Local Schools, Local Decisions initiative announced by the Government this week will enable schools to have flexibility to ensure that specific needs of students in their learning are more readily and quickly addressed. The Minister has indicated in the other place that the Record of School Achievement is a reflection of recent changes in our education system. The Record of School Achievement better reflects the modern working environment and will show the extensive record of a student's achievements. It is becoming increasingly common for students to combine education, work and training as a pathway to full-time employment, so it is important for this to be shown in a Record of School Achievement. We want students who see themselves as lifelong learners, who are able to engage with their communities and develop the range of skills necessary for success in the workforce.

Question—That this bill be now read a second time—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

In Committee

Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.

Dr JOHN KAYE [9.50 p.m.], by leave: I move The Greens amendments Nos 1 and 2 on sheet C2012-043 in globo:

The intent of these amendments is to allow those students who leave school and complete their year 10 qualifications at a TAFE college in the certificate for general and vocational education course to be able to obtain a Record of School Achievement. I accept that the number of such students is relatively small, but if these amendments are not supported those students will not be able to receive a Record of School Achievement because of the way the legislation is worded. Even though the number of such students is relatively small, this is very important: they are the students for whom formal schooling no longer works and who, without access to a course at TAFE, would completely fall by the wayside.

The great success of the certificate for general and vocational education course is that half the students who undertake the course graduate from it and then they have access to a certificate III or certificate IV course that they otherwise would not have. If those students are forced to stay at school—and we had this debate in the "learn or earn" education legislation debate—they will not survive. They will end up being expelled and interacting with the criminal justice system. If The Greens amendments are supported those young people who complete year 10 at TAFE will get access to a Record of School Achievement. It is only a reasonable and equitable measure to ensure that is the case.

I understand the Government is not all that enthusiastic about these amendments—perhaps I should have got someone else to move them—but it would be really silly for the Government not to support them. It would show that the Government has no interest in those young people for whom it is no longer sensible to stay at school and who go to TAFE will not have access to a Record of School Achievement. They are the students who have the most reason for getting a record of achievement, because they are the students who are the least likely to get any further qualifications. Those students will no longer be able to get a School Certificate and it would be deeply unfair to take away the ability of those students to get a Record of School Achievement. I urge the Government to reconsider and to support these amendments.

The Hon. JOHN AJAKA (Parliamentary Secretary) [9.53 p.m.]: The Government opposes The Greens amendments. The bill was carefully drafted with the assistance and advice of the Board of Studies after extensive consultation with all stakeholders. The bill also meets the requirements of the Government's policy agenda and the needs of all stakeholders.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE [9.53 p.m.]: The Opposition supports The Greens amendments. The explanation given by the Hon. John Ajaka as to why the Government is opposing the amendments is quite bizarre: the bill has been consulted on so therefore it is perfect and it cannot be improved. Surely young people who are doing a year 10 equivalent at TAFE deserve to have a Record of School Achievement. Why would those young people be excluded just because to date someone has not picked them up in the drafting of the legislation? The amendments do no harm to the bill and will ensure that every student undertaking year 10 studies is brought within the purview of the bill.

Dr JOHN KAYE [9.54 p.m.]: I thank the Opposition for its support for The Greens amendments. I listened carefully to what the Parliamentary Secretary had to say but he failed to address the following situation. What if it was no longer acceptable for one of the Parliamentary Secretary's daughters to stay at school and she went off to TAFE? As the bill is currently drafted, the Parliamentary Secretary's daughter could not then get a Record of School Achievement. Every other child in year 10 in the State will have the opportunity to go to an employer with a Record of School Achievement but a child who does year 10 at TAFE does not get one. I simply do not understand the Government's position with respect to those young people. Will the Government completely ignore them? Will TAFE no longer provide year 10 equivalent courses? Is that really the Government's agenda? If so, the Government should have the decency to say that. Or has the Government not understood what The Greens have said? I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to respond to those questions.

Question—That The Greens amendments Nos 1 and 2 [C2012-043] be agreed to—put and resolved in the negative.

The Greens amendments Nos 1 and 2 [C2012-043] negatived.

Schedule 1 agreed to.

Schedule 2 agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill reported from Committee without amendment.

Adoption of Report

Motion by the Hon. John Ajaka, on behalf of the Hon. Duncan Gay, agreed to:

That the report be adopted.

Report adopted.

Third Reading

Motion by the Hon. John Ajaka, on behalf of the Hon. Duncan Gay, agreed to:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and returned to the Legislative Assembly without amendment.

PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012

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PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Education Amendment (Record of School Achievement) Bill 2012

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Members

Bills

Committees

Hansard

Research Papers

Engaging with Parliament

External Links

Legislative
Assembly

Legislative
Council