Western Australia's major parties battle over education policies with promises for schools

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The major parties pitched their election policies side by side, vying to convince parents and educators they have the best plan for children. Labor is promising air conditioning upgrades to keep schools cool, while the Liberals argue they have the vision to deliver the best outcomes for future generations.

Transcript

00:00After seven sweltering weeks of summer holidays, school's almost back.

00:07As a dad from Kwinana, I remember all too well the first time I took my kids to school.

00:13And the Premier had the dad jokes, as he promised Labor would spend $89 million to start installing

00:21modern air conditioners in public schools.

00:23Kids will actually come home to their parents or their caregivers and say, school is actually

00:28cool.

00:29And they've never done that before, so we're very much looking forward to rolling this

00:33out.

00:34Sorry, I had to do that.

00:36Forty-five schools would be upgraded with ducted reverse cycle air conditioning in the

00:40next term of government, but more than 500 schools need work to bring the temperature

00:45down in the classroom.

00:46A lot of our older schools have the evaporative air conditioning system, which is not up to

00:51standard as our summers get hotter.

00:53The Liberals accused Labor of ignoring major challenges in education and have released

00:58their own $210 million education strategy, which they say will break the cycle of disadvantage

01:04and improve long-term education outcomes.

01:07To reach those ambitious targets, the Liberals have a 13-point plan, including play-based

01:12learning, extra help for disengaged students and a school lunch program trial.

01:18It is about ensuring that our kids have the best start in life.

01:22It is about the engagement centres.

01:26It is about the school support program.

01:29It is about addressing truancy.

01:31The Greens are promising extra public school funding, that they'll reduce class sizes,

01:36scrap school fees and introduce a $400 million free school lunch program.

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