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What's newAustralian schools win OECD recognition for building designThe OECD's Program on Educational Building (PEB) has included five Australian schools in its Compendium of Exemplary Educational Facilities. An international jury selected educational institutions from 20 countries based on how well buildings and grounds were used to enhance the quality of education. Recently refurbished and new buildings and grounds were considered, and awarded merit for their innovation in terms of safety, sustainability, meeting community needs and flexibility. See article in School Matters, August 2006, p 14. South Australian country teaching scholarships are now targeted to subjects that are short of teachersAspiring high schools teachers who want to specialise in a particular subject area are being targeted through the South Australian Government’s Country Teaching Scholarships this year. More than 80 per cent of the 42 scholarships offered in 2006 are aimed at secondary subject areas where there is a demand for qualified teachers. These include mathematics, physics, chemistry, English, home economics and technology studies. See Ministerial media release, 20 September 2006. School rebuilding program in South AustraliaThe South Australian Government has embarked on a school rebuilding program in partnership with private industry. See Ministerial media release, 20 September 2006. Resources for New Zealand parentsThe Team-Up campaign recently launched by the New Zealand Government is providing resources to parents to help them support their children’s learning. See Ministerial media release, 18 September 2006. Plan promotes healthier lifestyles in schools in NZPromoting healthy eating and encouraging Agreement to stop 'poaching' of teachers is challengedAn agreement has been reached between members of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Community to debate primary school literacy and numeracy issues in Western AustraliaSchool closures criticised in Australian Capital TerritoryDr Ian Morgan of the Save Our Schools campaign in State schools should pay more to good teachers: Julie BishopAustralian Government Education Minister Julie Bishop has said that government school principals should be given the power to offer performance-based cash incentives to attract and retain teachers. She suggested that a system similar to that in the AAMT seeks comments on standardsMembers of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (AAMT) are invited to comment on the standards for excellence in teaching mathematics in Australian schools, as part of the association's review of the standards. Comments can be submitted until mid-November, and will be considered in recommendations to the AAMT's council meeting in January 2007. An online survey will soon be available. Human rights website has resources for teachers and studentsThe website of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC) now includes sections with human rights information and resources aimed at secondary students and teachers. |