There’s movement at Parliament station as the word gets around that there’s only three months before we hit the polls.
Both sides of the benches went back to school last week as part of the Australian Council for Educational Research’s ‘principal for a day’ program.
Education Minister Martin Dixon took up top post at Melbourne’s Marcellin College; Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell was at Wilmot Road Primary School, Shepparton, while Broadmeadows MP Frank McGuire went to Moomba Park Primary School in Fawkner.
Already known for his passion for village-based learning, Mr McGuire said he chose Moomba Park Primary because its nationally acclaimed model to integrate autistic and high achieving students was under threat. “I wanted to … gain a greater understanding of this successful model and I’m delighted with the lessons I learned,” Mr McGuire said.
“Their vision and commitment to improve each student’s life and provide greater opportunities is inspiring.”
Mr McGuire said he had asked the school community to become partners in Hume’s Global Learning Village, a community education model rolled out through libraries and community centres around Hume.
Since 2001, ‘principal for a day’ has matched more than 1800 schools with business and community leaders around Australia.
This year 35 Victorian MPs were involved.
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Helen Grimaux
