Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During the last two weeks I have had the pleasure of visiting several Northern Territory primary schools to mark the upgrading of school facilities under the Investing in Our Schools Program. The upgrades have ranged from new playground equipment to new technology in the classroom. Among the schools were Stuart Park Primary School and Nightcliff Primary School, which received $50,000 and $150,000 respectively.

I congratulate Stuart Park Primary School’s assistant principal, Richard Woodside, and registrar, Carol Metcalfe, for their hard work to win the funding for the school, and Nightcliff Primary School’s school council chairman, Murray Fuller, for his tireless fundraising. Alawa Primary School also received $150,000 under the program to purchase laptop computers and related equipment, and the success of their application is due in no small part to its registrar, Michelle Elkins. All three schools are among the 49 Northern Territory schools that have received over $3 million in funding under the Investing in Our Schools Program in the past year for upgrades like new air conditioning, shade structures and musical and sporting equipment.

Education, of course, is not just about bricks and mortar, nor is it just about providing technology and equipment. It is about developing a feeling of belonging and enhancing learning outcomes within the classroom by creating an enjoyable and purposeful environment. It is about school communities working together—principals, administrators, school councils, students and teachers. A key factor in this equation is the quality of our teachers. In that sense, I would like to pay a special tribute to four of Darwin’s longest serving teachers who all work at the same school, the Leanyer Primary School, which is located in my electorate.

I wish to pay tribute to their selfless dedication and service to the Northern Territory’s education system. Leanyer Primary School’s principal, Henry Gray, assistant principal, Sally Bruyn, and senior teachers Janelle Northcott and Craig Nieminski were recently honoured for each serving more than 30 years in Northern Territory schools. Given the shortage of teachers in the Northern Territory and the disturbingly high rates of staff turnover, long-serving and experienced teachers should be a treasured commodity.

If you want to keep quality teachers you need to start recognising them and their dedicated work and service. This is essential to the success of our education system, not just in the Northern Territory but nationwide. The teachers that I have just mentioned are dedicated teachers. They work hard and long hours for their school and their communities, and I wish them every success in the future. I know Henry Gray, the principal at Leanyer Primary School, is looking to retire in the coming years. (Time expired)