Government has indicated a willingness to fund a project directed at the improvement of educational attainment in Porirua City. They are open to a proposal, although no sum of money or timeframe has been specified.
We need a project that will:
1. Advance educational attainment for all children, but specifically Maori and Pacific Island children.
2. Be Porirua City wide.
3. Work through existing organisations.
4. Have low administrative costs.
5. Have a clear understandable purpose.
6. Have a measurable objective.
7. Have wide support from parents and teachers.
8. Unify our city.
9. Produce an outcome that can be celebrated.
Drug use in schools:
1. Places students in an unsafe environment.
2. Saps the teaching resources of every school.
3. Turns teachers into social workers and police officers.
4. Undermines the learning of all children, but especially Maori and Pacific Island children.
It is proposed that we work together to totally eliminate drugs from all Porirua City schools.
In accordance with the criteria above, it is suggested:
1. The existing steering committee is re-established as a project committee entitled (say) the Porirua City Schools Initiative on Drugs Committee. The task of the committee is to (a) negotiate with central government and other agencies (b) act as a funding conduit (c) report regularly to the community and government on the outcomes of the initiative.
2. The project funds a police constable dedicated to the elimination of drugs in schools.
3. The project funds a social worker in a suitable agency, dedicated to the elimination of drugs in schools.
4. The project funds the DARE and Youth Lifeline projects, in accordance with a contract to be negotiated.
5. The project provides funding to each educational institution in Porirua City (on a needs and capitation basis) with the money to be used at the discretion of the institutions governing bodies, but directed at the elimination of drug use.
Project objective:
There shall be no disciplinary hearings in any Porirua City school that involves any drug offence.
Reporting:
Each school shall provide every 3 months a report to the project committee that gives the number of discipline hearings the Board of Trustees held that in some way or other involved illegal substances (regardless of outcome). The project steering committee shall publish this information quarterly.
1. It accords with the wishes of parents.
2. It addresses a real problem.
3. It is a city-wide action.
4. It will free teacher resources.
5. It brings more professional people into our city.
6. It will be attractive to government, and is likely to be funded.
7. Accountability for the funds is provided for by working through existing organisations.
8. Project overheads are absolutely minimal.
9. It makes use of existing structures and experience.
10. It has regular reporting to the community.
11. It has an overall goal that we can celebrate as a community.
12. It has an overall goal, which if achieved, is a strong marketing positive for our city and our educational institutions.
1. It is difficult to show that it particularly targets Maori and Pacific Island children.
2. It may not win funding from government if they have specific requirements.
3. In publicising discipline hearings in schools we are publicising a negative.
For discussion, the following is suggested:
Annual cost |
|
| Project management |
$15,000 |
| Police officer & support |
$85,000 |
| Social worker and support |
$55,000 |
| DARE & Life Line Trust contracts |
$90,000 |
| School contracts |
$110,000 |
| TOTAL |
$355,000.00 |
This project is straightforward, practical and directed at a strongly supported objective. The cost is modest, and it strengthens existing agencies that are under resourced at present. It may be funded for any number of years the government wishes. It will make a difference.
12 July 2003