 |
Media Release
$19.4 MILLION BOOST FOR BOYS EDUCATION - FIRST ROUND OF SUCCESS FOR BOYS GRANTS ANNOUNCED
21 December 2005 MIN 2071/05
The education of boys received a significant boost today with the announcement that 801 schools across Australia will receive grants in Round One of the Australian Government’s $19.4 million Success for Boys programme.
The Government is committed to improving boys’ educational and social outcomes. In Round One, 235 individual schools and 113 schools clusters (constituting 566 schools) will receive grants of between $10,000 and $80,000 to help them improve the way they work with boys.
Success for Boys aims to support boys at risk of disengaging from school, and improve boys’ learning outcomes and engagement in school. Teachers will be provided with high quality professional learning based on national and international research.
Three key intervention areas of benefit to boys will be addressed by schools:
• Giving boys opportunities to benefit from positive male role models and mentors;
• Improving literacy teaching and assessment; and
• Using information and communication technology (ICT) to engage boys in learning.
It is imperative that nothing is done which undermines the important and necessary progress made in the last 20 years in the education of girls, however the evidence is overwhelming that boys are falling behind in our education system.
Many boys enjoy school and are successful in their studies. However, it is of concern that many others are underperforming in a range of key educational areas and broader social indicators. We know that boys are underperforming in literacy, are less engaged with school, and overwhelmingly outnumber girls in disciplinary issues.
Since 2003 the Government has committed over $27 million to improve boys’ educational and social outcomes.
The Boys’ Education Lighthouse Schools programme operating over 2003–05 has also supported over 550 schools nationally to develop effective teaching practices and strategies that work with boys.
Building on this, the Success for Boys initiative is well placed to bring about significant and enduring change in the outcomes of Australian schooling.
I congratulate all the successful schools, and I look forward to learning about their achievements.
The Howard Government is committed to addressing the critical issues affecting boys’ education and in turn, to ensure that our children are given every opportunity to reach their full potential.
Further information on Success for Boys and details of the successful schools are available at: http://www.successforboys.edu.au/.
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Yaron Finkelstein 0414 927 663
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Natalie Cooper 02 6240 5002
|
