Launch of new policy on student behaviour management in Govt schools

19/6/98

A new policy on student behaviour management in Western Australia's Government schools has been launched today by Education Minister Colin Barnett.

The new policy has been adopted by the Education Department and will be implemented by all 767 Government schools by the end of next year.

Mr Barnett said that after four years of development and trials, the new policy had been launched as part of the Education Department's students at educational risk strategy Making the Difference, and was set out in detail in the Behaviour Management in Schools publication.

This document included a set of procedures and guidelines, as well as a series of sample behaviour management manuals, for use by schools as a framework to establish and review their behaviour management programs. It would be available in all education districts next week.

The Minister said Behaviour Management in Schools listed the responsibilities and roles of principals, teachers, students, parents and District Directors in behaviour management.

The policy focused on developing a positive environment in schools and encouraging good behaviour and also made provision for sanctions such as the suspension and exclusion of students when rules were ignored.

"The policy is a logical extension to the Managing Student Behaviour (MSB) program, introduced into Government schools 10 years ago, which requires all schools to have a behaviour management code to suit their own particular needs and circumstances," Mr Barnett said.

"This involves parents, teachers and students working together on strategies to prevent bullying, violence, harassment and other inappropriate behaviour.

"All members of a school community have a responsibility to make sure that Government schools continue to provide a safe, secure and welcoming environment for learning. I believe that Government schools are generally safe places, but we need to be proactive to prevent the problems of society encroaching into the schoolyard.

"The key to successful behaviour codes is prevention. This is best achieved in a positive environment where principals, teachers, students and parents all respect each other."

Mr Barnett said the Government had committed more than $1 million over the next three years to support schools throughout the State in the development of appropriate programs.

The Education Department would undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness of the new policy and programs in 2000.

This had been a specific request of the reference group that had worked with the Education Department over the past four years to review and refine the policy, guidelines and procedures.

Mr Barnett also paid tribute to the contribution of parents and community representatives who joined the project and the many schools which participated in trials of behaviour management programs.

Media contacts: Justine Whittome, Office of the Minister for Education, (08) 9222 9699

Penny Valentine, Education Department of WA, (08) 9264 5348