The Independent Schools Program option has been enthusiastically embraced by forward thinking schools with 103 WA Schools signing up to be amongst the 30 pilot schools.
The WA School Teacher's Union lost their application to the WA Industrial Relations Commission in relation to their interim application for Orders re: lack of consultation, on Friday 4th September, 2009.
My belief is that the WASSTU had no right to interfere in this process by contacting Parent & Citizen Associations. The union represents TEACHERS, and should have no influence with parent organisations. The tactics employed were typical union scare-mongering, with non facts and inuendo calculated to frighten parents who may not be sure about the decision they had to make.
If we were to take the community's yes votes for the chance to take up the option to become a pilot school for the Independent Schools Programme, the School Council vote would have been a 'yes'. However, I feel that the last minute spiel sent out to P & C's by the TEACHER'S union, altered the perception of people, thereby losing the vote and, ultimately, our chance to show what Nyabing Primary School could be.
103 Schools Sign Up
Independent Public Schools Opportunity Lost
Last night, the Nyabing School Council voted on the option to become a pilot school in the Education Department's Independent Public School programme.
Over the time I've been discussing this issue with parents and community members, I felt that most people were in favour of this exciting opportunity. Some had a couple of reservations, but could see the benefits of becoming an IPS due to ample consultation and information being provided by the administration staff at Nyabing Primary School.
This feeling has since changed since the State School Teachers Union campaigned P & C's with their own special brand of scare-mongering. The SSTU's comments played on people's fear of change and uncertainty in the future. A very one sided notice went out to parents with no time for the Department or the school to counter their argument before the final decision had to be made by School Council on Monday night.
The vote last night had to be an absolute majority. With a couple of members abstaining, this already made a positive outcome less likely. The final vote was a 'no'.
I'm very disappointed in the result as I thought we had a proactive parent community. The School Council had a really difficult time deciding which way they should vote due to the lack of response from the parent community. I don't envy them in having to make this choice and I imagine that they chose 'no', as it was a safe choice.
It appears that less than half of the families even bothered to complete a survey, which is disappointing in itself. Does this show apathy? I believe so. Some people feel it shows that people don't understand the concept or didn't have enough information, so didn't want to complete a survey. Information was readily available from the website, the registrar and the principal at school. No one rang or emailed for more information.
I certainly hope that this apathy doesn't exist in the wider community when it comes to our Local Government Survey. I'm hoping that people will see this as an important decision to make and will help Council in making that decision.
Independent Public Schools
Nyabing Primary School has the opportunity to be a pilot school for the new Independent Public Schools Programme being trialled in WA.
WOW! What an opportunity!
As a small country school, we can show how proactive our community is - a small town with big ideas! We're not stuck in the past, but we're looking to securing our future. We can have more of a say in how we run our school because, as a community, we will own it. We will have the ability to shape our school to match our unique requirements, not other people's ideas of our requirements.
One of the Primary Schools in the Shire of Kent is looking at leading the way with change and allowing it's community to be a part of that process.
What does this tell our neighbours and our State Government? Yes, we will embrace change only if we are able to see major benefits from making those changes. We want empowerment, not subservience.
I urge the Nyabing community to get behind this great opportunity and fill out their surveys. Please return them to the school ASAP before Monday 31st August.
