Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Complementing the record funding of some $69.5 billion which this government is providing for our school education system, an increase over the forward estimates period in school funding of 27.9 per cent, the government is also focusing on teacher quality and on measures to help lift the standard of teachers coming into the profession. We have ensured that a robust national curriculum has been put in place. Implementing the recommendations of the curriculum review, we delivered upon and de-cluttered the curriculum, ensuring that all jurisdictions signed up to the delivery of that curriculum.

We have provided measures to try to increase school autonomy among the jurisdictions, with all jurisdictions signing up to the independent school initiative. Indeed we are working to enhance parental engagement. Perhaps the most important factor that can complement strong school outcomes is strong parental engagement and our measures to encourage parental engagement including particularly the learning potential app which has been made available to parents around Australia. (Time expired)