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Canberra Today 15°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Election 2020: Libs will put a teacher librarian in every public school

Opposition Leader Alistair Coe

A CANBERRA Liberals government will provide funding for a full-time qualified teacher librarian in every ACT public school.

Canberra Liberals leader Alistair Coe announced this election commitment today (September 8), which, he says, will cost $15.5 million.

Mr Coe says the Liberals will also pilot the Clontarf Academy for 12 months in an ACT government high school to provide behavioural and lifestyle support to young indigenous boys to give them a healthy output and help them excel in their studies.

“We want Canberra students to achieve the best academic outcomes, not just in Australia, but in the world,” Mr Coe says.

“While literacy standards in the ACT have been progressively falling in recent years, providing students with qualified teacher librarians is a real and practical solution to help students reach their full potential.”

Shadow education minister Elizabeth Lee says the value of qualified teacher librarians to students’ learning could not be understated.

“Teacher librarians can make an enormous contribution to improving our students’ literacy skills, but that is just the start,” Ms Lee says.

“They teach students how to navigate the digital realm, how to problem solve, how to research and explore ideas. They open students up to a world of critical, creative and information literacy and provide them with a supportive learning environment. This is a small investment for something that will achieve big outcomes for our children.”

In regards to the Liberals commitment for Clontarf Academy, shadow indigenous affairs minister James Milligan says the Clontarf Academy has proven hugely successful in other jurisdictions, with more than 9000 indigenous high school students having participated in the program since 2000.

“Young boys who participate in the Clontarf Academy are given access to training sessions, fitness programs, sports mentors and competitive games,” Mr Milligan says.

“This has proven extremely successful to motivate young boys in their studies and provide them with a healthy outlet.

“The Canberra Liberals have already identified several schools, and we are currently working with the Clontarf Foundation to assess the suitability of each for a pilot.”

Mr Coe said the Liberals want to give all Canberra children an opportunity to reach their full potential.

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