NewsBite

Advertisement

WA schools ‘left in limbo’ while major review in the lurch: opposition

By Holly Thompson

Western Australia’s education minister is being urged to release the findings of the first review into the state’s Education Act in almost 25 years, which was meant to have been finalised months ago.

Opposition Education Minister Liam Staltari said as schools returned for term 3 this week, families and teachers were still “in the dark” about whether they would receive vital support in the classroom.

Education Minister Sabine Winton is being urged to release the findings from the review.

Education Minister Sabine Winton is being urged to release the findings from the review. Credit: Charlotte Vinson

The School Education Act Review was first announced by then-education minister Tony Buti in December 2023.

At the time, Buti said cultural change, attitude change, and more resources for teachers were needed so every child could “reach their full potential, no matter their postcode or special needs”, and apologised to parents of those living with a disability for “letting them down” in the past.

It marked the first review of the act in almost a quarter of a century.

The consultation phase concluded in October 2024 and, according to the WA Department of Education’s website, the final report was meant to be provided to the minister by December that year.

However, there has so far been no news on the findings or what information was gleaned from more than 200 formal submissions and 30 consultation and information sessions.

The review now rests in the hands of current Education Minister Sabine Winton.

Staltari, also the opposition’s disability services minister, said figures from June 30, 2024, showed the education department was supporting 18,034 students in government primary and secondary schools – 5.5 per cent of all public school students – through Individual Disability Allocation.

Advertisement

He claimed this number would continue to grow, and parents and teachers deserved to know what recommendations had been made during the review and how the government intended to better support them in improving access and inclusion for students with disabilities.

“School is back, but families and educators ... are still no closer to knowing whether they will receive the clarity and additional support they have long been asking for,” he said.

Symone Wheatley-Hey, founder of the advocacy group Square Peg Round Whole, said every day the government delayed the release, schools were “left in limbo and more students risk being excluded, unsupported, or inadequately accommodated”.

“This is not just a matter of policy – it’s about trust, transparency and respecting the voices of those who participated in the review in good faith,” she said.

Staltari said the release of the review’s findings was critical in light of other challenges schools faced, including revelations from the State School Teacher’s Union WA 2025 State of our Schools survey.

About eight in 10 respondents had considered quitting in the past four years, with burnout and stress being key concerns.

Loading

He also highlighted a report by the WA Ombudsman, published in May, which revealed nearly one-third of physical assault allegations in the education sector between January 2023 and July 2024 involved a child with a disability as the victim – most commonly those with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD.

Advocacy WA has also said children with disabilities are significantly more likely to be bullied than their school peers.

Education Minister Sabine Winton acknowledged there was “strong interest” in the review, but said it was a “significant piece of work that requires careful consideration”.

“Any future changes to the legislation would take time to implement,” she said.

“It is important that this review is considered in the context of broader disability reform occurring at state and national levels.

“I’m progressing this work and I am due to meet with the independent panel chair of the review soon.”

Winton said the state government had taken other steps to bolster supports for students with disability, with a further $395 million committed in this year’s State Budget.

“This funding included a major boost to the Individual Disability Allocation, which is designed to address the unique needs of individual students and can be used to access education assistants, appropriate technology, or alternative methods of assessment,” she said.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.

Most Viewed in National

Loading

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-schools-left-in-limbo-while-major-review-in-the-lurch-opposition-20250721-p5mglz.html