Back to school for Territory students
Wednesday, 24 January 2007
Some 42,000 students will begin arriving in classrooms across the Territory from 30 January as schools gear up for the start of the 2007 school year.
There will be more than 28,000 primary and 13,500 secondary students attending the Territory’s 187 government and non-government schools this year.
Chief Executive of the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) Margaret Banks said 2007 promises to be an exciting year with the roll-out of several key initiatives and projects.
“The Age of Entry Trial moves into Phase 3 with 22 government schools joining the project, giving more young students the chance to experience the proven benefits of early learning programs,” Ms Banks said. “This brings the total number of schools participating in the trial to 53.”
The trial continues to offer flexible intake for preschools, with preschools encouraged to negotiate this with their community (for children turning four by June 30), and a single intake for Transition students turning five by 30 June.
“This year also sees the commencement of the new Senior Years arrangements, with Year 10 students joining students in Years 11 and 12 to form the Senior Years of Schooling across the Territory,” Ms Banks said.
”This year, Year 10 students will be welcomed at Casuarina Senior College and Centralian Senior Secondary College, where the Senior Years program will give them better access to a wider range of subjects and vocational education and training (VET) programs.”
Palmerston, Taminmin, Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Tennant Creek high schools will have dedicated Senior Years Sub Schools for Years 10 to 12.
Schools across the Top End will continue to prepare for the introduction of Year 7s into the Middle Years of schooling in 2008. Year 7 students are already part of the Middle Years in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.
Ms Banks said parents and guardians across the Territory will be receiving $50 Back to School Payment vouchers in the weeks ahead.
This entitles parents or guardians of Territory students from Transition to Year 12 to receive one voucher per student for each child enrolled in a Territory school.
“The vouchers assist Territory families with the beginning of year expenses that come with providing the best education for their children,” she said.
“Parents and guardians can redeem the vouchers at the schools their children attend – in other words, the schools that have issued the vouchers.”
For further information, parents and guardians are encouraged to contact their school directly, or visit www.deet.nt.gov.au.