EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL

New education legislation introduced to Parliament today gives effect to a change in the
administration of senior teachers' pay, and clarifies the law governing the mergers of tertiary
institutions, Education Minister Wyatt Creech said today.

The Education Amendment Bill abolishes the Salaries Grant for Management scheme where
schools received a bulk grant to pay their senior teachers.

"The scheme is now redundant because of the recently negotiated primary teachers' employment
contract and the 1996 secondary teachers' pay settlement which introduced a system of salary
unit payments for senior staff.

"The new contracts simplify the payments for senior staff and mean the Salaries Grant for
Management scheme is no longer required.

"Those schools that want to keep the flexibility that went with the Salaries Grant for Management
before the recent contract settlements are able to opt into the new Fully Funded Option for
resourcing schools," Mr Creech said.

The Education Amendment Bill also clarifies the intention of the legislation allowing tertiary
institutions of different types the ability to merge, if educationally justified.

A recent legal challenge has raised a question-mark over the current legislation governing the
amalgamation of tertiary institutions. This amendment will clear up any confusion surrounding the
intent of the current Act.

Tertiary institution mergers would only be approved where there were educational benefits for
students.

"We need to clarify this legislation as quickly as possible before any more valuable education
dollars are consumed in litigation. Parliament appropriates taxpayer funds to tertiary education
institutions to provide education for their students and not to spend it on lawyer ?s bills." Mr
Creech said.