Assistant director of Pakenham Childcare on McGregor Racheal Zeeno, Cardinia Shire councillor Graeme Legge, Pakenham Consolidated Primary School principal Leonie Campbell and Department of Education and Early Childhood Development assistant regional director south metropolitan Robert Stephens.MORE than 60 local educators recently gathered at the Cardinia Cultural Centre to discuss a blueprint for the future of education in the shire.
The forum, hosted by the Cardinia Shire Council and organised by the Cardinia Education Taskforce, focused on proposed State Government reforms to the education system.
The State Government recently released a discussion paper, entitled Blueprint for Early Childhood Development and School Reform, which provided an opportunity to obtain collective input from the region to be forwarded by Council to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Cardinia Shire councillor Graeme Legge, who welcomed forum participants, said the event provided an opportunity for local ideas to be gathered in response to the concepts outlined in the discussion papers.
“I acknowledge and welcome your collective expertise in these matters and look forward to a fruitful discussion that will certainly provide valuable information for council’s submission in response to the discussion paper,” he said.
“Council has an active involvement in supporting education locally and wants every Cardinia resident to be able to get the very best education possible.”
Local school principals and early childhood educators listened to Department of Education and Early Childhood Development assistant regional director south metropolitan Robert Stephens outline the discussion paper. The discussion paper advocates some major changes to the way in which education services are provided in Victoria, particularly for younger children.
South East Learning and Employment Network chief executive Paul Di Masi and council general manager community wellbeing Fiona Hodges ran a series of activities in a workshop format to gather the views of the forum participants.
The feedback provided at the forum will shape the council’s submission to the State Government.
