Members of Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) executive had a productive meeting with Education Minister, Jason Clare on August 24, 2023. The meeting focused on crucial matters related to the important role that families have in the learning and wellbeing of our children and young people and its impact on education in Australia.
The CSPA delegation took the opportunity to provide an overview of their ongoing efforts in parent engagement, including projects and surveys aimed at ensuring a parent voice on critical topics such as student wellbeing and learning, the effects of classroom disruption on learning, and the current positive Home and School communication project. Minister Clare expressed his admiration for the organisation's substantial achievements over the past decade and its robust presence, with members spanning across all states in Australia and the ACT.
One highlight of the meeting was CSPA's proposal for a National Parent Engagement Roundtable to develop a national policy so that all schools are committed to engaging families in their children and young people’s learning and wellbeing. This roundtable would also discuss establishing a national repository to bring together all the current resources and research being done in Australia in Parent Engagement. This would be a central point for families, schools and early childhood to access the best information possible to better engage all families. Minister Clare exhibited keen interest in this initiative and initially CSPA will work with the Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) around developing a plan for the roundtable to present to him.
The conversation also delved into the timely topic of NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy), with both the Minister and CSPA recognising the importance of positive communication to parents around the 2023 results across the country. Notably, the Minister praised the progress in reading capability amongst eight-year-olds over the past few years, demonstrating significant improvement in previous national reading levels.
"In our pursuit to advocate for parents, we recognise that one in five children in Australia receives their education in Catholic schools. This statistic underscores the immense responsibility we bear in ensuring their educational journey is nurtured through strong family – school partnerships. Our ongoing collaboration with Minister Clare cements our commitment to strengthening education by empowering parents to actively engage in their children's learning," said Andrea Obeyesekere, CSPA National Chair. CSPA will once again participate in the National School Reforms Ministerial Reference Group alongside other key Educational Stakeholders in October, reaffirming our influential role in shaping educational enhancements.
