Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Chifley for his question and I know he is deeply interested in literacy and numeracy in his local schools. As I had the opportunity to advise the House last week, this week is National Literacy and Numeracy Week. It was with great pleasure last week that the Prime Minister and I announced an additional more than $40 million investment in literacy and numeracy pilot programs around the country so we can make sure that we understand what the best of evidence is for the teaching to children of literacy and numeracy.

This $40 million worth of pilots in 29 schools is a down payment on a $577 million program for all schools to assist with literacy and numeracy development.

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