Schools Disability Advisory Council Sets Long Term Aims
16 February 2012 at 11:30 am
A new group which brings together parents, teachers, young people with disability and peak bodies to advise the Gillard Government on issues affecting students with disability has held its first meeting in Canberra this week.
Minister Assisting for School Education Brendan O’Connor opened the inaugural meeting of the Schools Disability Advisory Council aimed at improving education for all students.
The Council is chaired by Matthew Davies from the Engagement and Wellbeing Group within the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Council member Lesley Hall from the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations says the meeting reinforced the long term aim that children with disabilities will get the quality education that they deserve.
She praised the Federal Government for setting up the Advisory Council saying that there was a lot of goodwill around the table at the inaugural meeting.
Hall says the meeting discussed issues in education including the Disability Standards for Education, funding and specific measures to help students with disability, as well as getting an update on progress towards the collection of nationally consistent data on school students with disability.
She says the there is a lot of work to be done and the Council will be watching with interest the recommendations of the Gonsky Report into School Funding which are due to be released next week.
The Advisory Council, which was announced by Minister for School Education Peter Garrett last year, comprises members from peak organisations representing people with disability, educators and parent groups, as well as academic experts and young people living with disability.
“We will rely on council members’ advice on developing policy and implementing school education programs and initiatives to improve the educational outcomes, social inclusion, resilience and wellbeing of students with disability,” Minister O’Connor said.
The full list of members is available on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website.
