Legislative Council Wednesday 18 March, 2020

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

This is a question I had on the Notice Paper with the Government last year. It did not get a response last year and I sent it with a week or more's notice. With regard to the roles and responsibility of Tasmanian home education registration under the new education legislation -

(1) How many children are registered under this scheme?

(2) How is the scheme monitored, and by whom?

(3) How long does it take for applicants to get approval to provide home education for their child or children?

(4) During this period of assessment for approval to provide home education, does the child need to attend school if this period is during a normal school year?

(5) If not approved for home education, how will the child or children be transitioned back into the school system?

This may become superfluous in a few weeks if we have to close schools and everyone will be home-schooled, but on the basis of that not happening, I would like an answer to the question.

ANSWER

Mr President, I thank the member for Murchison for her question.

(1) As at 21 November 2019, 1130 children were registered by the Education Registrar to receive home education in Tasmania.

(2) Registration of home education in Tasmania occurs in accordance with sections 67 to 79 of the Education Act 2016. The Education Registrar is responsible for approving home education applications with advice, as necessary, in accordance with the act from the Tasmanian Home Education Advisory Council.

(3) In accordance with section 67(a), provisional approval is provided first and is usually provided within 10 working days of the application being made. Home educators are then given a period of four to six weeks to begin their program before a registration officer visits to assess their program prior to making a recommendation to the registrar. Full registration is usually granted within eight to 10 weeks of the initial application.

(4) Section 11 of the Education Act requires that, unless exempted, a child who is at least five years of age as at 1 January in any year must be enrolled at a school or be provided with home education. Once provisional registration has been granted, home education can begin. The child is required to remain at school until provisional home education registration is granted.

(5) The Office of the Education Registrar works very closely with families to support them and help them gain registration. The child's reintegration into school is a matter for the parent and the school to work through together.