SUE NAPIER Shadow Minister for Education and Skills Wednesday 20 May 2009
State school students have been asked to submit portraits of Premier and Education Minister David Bartlett. This is supposedly part of the activities to mark Public Education Day tomorrow (Thursday)
State School students have been asked to come up with portraits of Premier and Education Minister David Bartlett.
This breath-taking “Portrait of the Premier” competition is in the very department for which David Bartlett is responsible.
Communist bloc countries have a rich history of school competitions celebrating their ‘glorious leaders’. Notable examples are former Chinese leader Mao Zedong and North Korean dictator Kim Jon-Il.
Mr Bartlett has a reputation for ensuring media photos at every school he visits but he needs to be very careful about politicising school children. The portrait exercise is taking that another step.
What public education in this State needs is leadership, a comprehensive vision and some forward-planning, not an Education Minister who sees it as a way to promote his own flourishing self-opinion.
That’s doubly true as the budget cuts start, causing pain and friction in State Government schools.
