Establish the Chief Executive's Student Forum

Previous Updates

April 2007

DEET’s response to the recommendations raised by the students in Forum 1, was presented to Forum 3 in March 2007. Students’ input informed a number of the initiatives in the School to Work Strategic Plan.

A report was presented to Executive Group on 5 April 2007, on DEET’s response to the issues and recommendations that were raised by the students.

The four issues, to which a number of recommendations were made, were:

• The need for a more relevant and engaging curriculum to improve the interest of students in school and promote positive learning in the home environment
• Students need to be offered more schooling options to gain their NTCE and more information needs to be provided for tertiary and post-school options, with greater support in senior years
• Greater understanding needed of Indigenous students in their communities
• Student motivation and poor attendance at school is due to a range of inappropriate teachers, lack of subject choices and inefficient correspondence to distance students.

December 2006

The first face-to-face Chief Executive’s Student Forum (CESF) was held in Darwin on 17 October and comprised 16 students in Years 10 and 11 from across the Territory. As part of the forum, the students received training in presentation skills, media skills and how to better deal with nerves and stress.

During the first forum, which was conducted via Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) in August, members raised 13 issues that they had identified while canvassing their student peers using a ‘Young Voices Report’. They pared down the 13 issues to four, and explored them in the October forum.

The issues are:

• A more relevant and engaging curriculum needs to be developed to improve the interest of students in school and promote positive learning in the home environment
• Students need to be offered more schooling options to gain their NTCE, more information on tertiary and post-school options, and greater support in senior years
• Greater understanding is needed of Indigenous students in their communities
• Student motivation and poor attendance at school is due to a range of inappropriate teachings, lack of subject choices and inefficient correspondence to distance students.

The students presented Executive with a set of well thought out recommendations, providing an insight into the current educational concerns of secondary students.The Executive is committed to addressing the recommendations.

The Chief Executive accompanied the students to Parliament House where they discussed some of the issues with the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, and observed the Legislative Assembly in session.

September 2006

The inaugural Chief Executive Student's Forum (CESF) was held on 31 August 2006. After a selection process, sixteen Year 10 and 11 students were chosen from across the Territory to represent the almost 10,000 government secondary school students. The CESF provides these students with the chance to have direct access to senior departmental deciion makes, and to provide input in a meaningful way on policy and strategies. Their input will be invaluable in helping to shape the future of education in the NT.

The sixteen students were selected based on their involvment in educational  and community activities. The need for representation from urban and rural, cultural background and gender balance contributed to the selection process. Eleven schools and Community Education Centres across the NT were represented.

Chief Executive, Margaret Banks, said each of the students selected to participate in the CESF had submitted very high-quality applications. “Each of these students has good communication skills, strong leadership potential, and a genuine interest in conveying to me the views of their fellow students."

All students canvassed the educational opinions of their student peers through a Young Voices Report. This informed discussion of issues with Executive. Students reported back the recommendations of Forum 1 through presentations to their schools and communities – at school and year level assemblies and SRCs .

In preparation for Forum 2 on 17 October 2006, students will receive training in presentation, leadership and media skills.

August 2006

Following the approval of the revised schedule, 16 students from across the Territory will participate in the first student forum to be held via teleconference during Education Week on Thursday 31 August. A face-to-face student forum with the Chief Executive will be held in mid October in Darwin. 

All students in Years 10 and 11 enrolled in government schools across the Northern Territory were eligible for a position on the program and 16 students will be selected by a panel. Two places are reserved for students from the Indigenous Students’ Leadership and Mentorship Program. The need for representation from urban, rural and remote areas, gender balance and cultural background will contribute to the selection process.

April 2006

Following the approval of the revised schedule, sixteen students from across the Territory will participate in the first student forum to be held in Semester 2.

Each student will gather input from other students about issues of concern and about proposed Departmental initiatives which will inform discussion by forum members as they formulate recommendations to be presented to the Chief Executive. These students will have significant role to play in facilitating information flow between Northern Territory students and decision-makers in the Department.

January 2006

The Indigenous Students' Leadership and Mentorship Program (ISLMP) Project Coordinator will also coordinate the Chief Executive's Student Forum project to enhance the interrelationship between the two projects.

The Coordinator has been busy canvassing student views, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas about education and a chance to make suggestions about how the student forum might best operate. Forums will take place in a range of regional areas across the Territory. Schools will soon be asked to nominate students to participate in these sessions.

Program structure, application procedure, selection criteria and program guidelines have been developed with considerable input from teachers, students and representatives from a number of DEET divisions. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to discuss topical educational issues directly with the Chief Executive of DEET. The Chief Executive, Margaret Banks, is looking forward to meeting the inaugural group of students and has already suggested a number of ways in which the forums can be extended and developed.

December 2005

Preparations for the first pilot forum are underway. Sixteen secondary students from across the Territory will shortly have the opportunity to take part in a series of lively discussions with members of the DEET Executive, including new Chief Executive, Margaret Banks. Students will learn more about the way in which DEET makes decisions about schooling and will also have a chance to voice their opinion on some topical educational issues.

Given the demanding workload of senior students at this time of year, the first pilot forum will target students in Year 10 only. Schools are reminded that all students in Years 10 to 12 will be eligible to take part in the official forums next year.

September 2005

Following a series of successful focus groups with Darwin students, the Chief Executive’s Student Forum planning is progressing. The Year 10, 11 and 12 students who took part in the focus groups had plenty to say about the sorts of issues they would like to explore and the way they think the forums should operate. Such constructive and enthusiastic feedback has informed a large part of the continued development of the program, and the students’ contributions were greatly appreciated.

Plans are currently underway to hold a series of pilot forums over the next few months. The first of these pilot forums will be held in Darwin towards the end of November. Teachers will be asked to nominate suitable students to take part in these trial sessions and full details will be forwarded to schools in Term 4.

August 2005

NT secondary students from both urban and remote areas are currently participating in a series of focus groups to help inform the development of the Chief Executive’s Student Forum. Project Coordinator Sarah Oppenheim is canvassing views from the students, giving them an opportunity to express their ideas about education and a chance to make suggestions about how the student forum might best operate.

Following this consultation, a number of pilot student forums are planned for September and October.
Scheduled to coincide with the Executive Group Meetings, these forums will take place in a range of regional areas across the Territory to engage a cross-section of secondary students. Schools will soon be asked to nominate students to participate in these pilot sessions.

April 2005

The Chief Executive’s Student Forum Program initiative is aimed at improving opportunities for secondary students to develop their knowledge, skills and experience in leadership roles.

This program will provide an opportunity for groups of secondary students to have direct access to the Chief Executive of DEET. This will give students the opportunity to have meaningful input into the future directions of DEET policy and strategy, and to voice issues they would like DEET to consider.

A Coordinator will be appointed in Term two to manage the establishment of criteria, guidelines, the selection process and administration of program and funds.There will be opportunities for students to be involved in the development of the program.

The project team will be led by John Dove, Carol Penglase, and Leanne Goldsworthy from Schools Division, and Barb Hatton from the Building Better Schools ImplementationTeam.

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