Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

In every Tasmanian classroom there are, on average, two or three gifted children, but we're letting them down. The result is that thousands of gifted kids are not being identified, not being given the opportunities they need and not being allowed to reach their potential. This country can afford to support all students with special needs, not just those with learning difficulties, so it's deeply troubling that achieving potential is too often the preserve of the rich and vocal, or that so many gifted kids go unrecognised, or that so many parents have to fight to have their child assessed only to then wait a year to see a school psychologist. Frankly, we need system redesign, because teachers must be trained to identify and cater for gifted children. Schools need to be better resourced, and there needs to be a shift in mindset.

This is not about benefiting an elite group of students but, rather, understanding that gifted children have special learning needs and failing to meet them can lead to boredom, disengagement and underachievement. Remember, bright kids don't do well no matter what. In other words, we're letting some of our most brilliant minds go to waste. And that's unfair, counterproductive and sometimes downright cruel.

See this speech in context