Public Education Week 2008 - So much more to offer
26 May 2008 Minister for Education and Training Andrew Barr today officially launched Public Education Week 2008 at one of Canberra’s most iconic public education facilities, Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) at Reid. The event included traditional Aboriginal dance, a sausage sizzle attended by the Canberra Raiders, show bags, tours of Reid campus and the cutting of a boomerang shaped cake. The day also featured the AEU Public Education Day Address by Dr Louise Watson, Associate Professor and Principal Researcher with the Lifelong Learning Network, University of Canberra. "The Stanhope Labor Government through CIT is investing heavily to tackle the local impacts of the national skills shortage," Mr Barr said. "CIT is vital in helping to keep the ACT economy strong and helping to ensure Canberrans of all ages have the widest possible choice of career. So I can think of no better place to kick off Public Education Week 2008 than at CIT." Mr Barr said the 2008-2009 ACT Budget provides more than $14 million for CIT to deliver a new state-of-the-art Horticultural facility at CIT’s Bruce campus, $900,000 for the feasibility and design of a new Trade Skills Centre at Fyshwick and the redevelopment of the CIT’s Reid campus and an additional $2.495 million over four years to enable CIT to deliver an additional 35,000 hours in training. "This is just part of the Stanhope Labor Government’s record $350 million investment in public education, upgrading every school and building new schools where they are most needed," Mr Barr said. Mr Barr said Public Education week 2008 has a packed calendar of events to celebrate and highlight the quality of the ACT public education system. "Like ACT public education itself, Public Education Week 2008 has so much more to offer," Mr Barr said. "I would encourage all ACT public school communities to get involved." For more information contact:
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