Annual Report 2005 NSW Department of Education and Training

Appendices
Appendices
Mr Wilson undertook extensive consultation with
central and regional IT staff before the draft plan was
prepared.
Mr Wilson was also responsible for the provision of
39,000 computers to schools during 2005 under the
new four year $556 million Technology for Learning
(T4L) program. All small primary and central schools
received their full four-year entitlement during 2005.
The 2005 T4L allocation represented the largest ever
calendar-year allocation of computers to schools by
the Department.
Under Mr Wilson’s leadership, the major objective
of the key government commitment of upgrading
bandwidth in schools and TAFE NSW Institutes was
achieved. At the end of December 2005, 96.3% of
the Department’s wide area network services had
bandwidths of 2 megabits per second (Mbps) or better.
Sixteen percent of these services had bandwidths of
10 Mbps. This has increased the data transmission
capacity for most departmental sites by around
15 times, enabling faster communications and the
introduction of advanced services on the wide area
network.
Mr Wilson oversaw the introduction of e-learning
accounts which provide authenticated access to the
Internet that will improve the security of staff and
students when browsing the net. These accounts
will also provide all staff and students with access to
email.
Paul Edgecumbe
Chief Information Officer
SES Level 5, $228,650
1 January 2005 to 24 March 2005
Mr Edgecumbe’s responsibilities included managing
the Department’s Information Technology Directorate
(ITD). ITD is responsible for the implementation of the
Government’s policy concerning technology including:
provision of Internet to schools and TAFE colleges,
improved technical support for schools, and e-learning
accounts for staff and students in schools and TAFE
colleges.
Mr Edgecumbe oversaw the final planning for the
initial rollout of computers to schools under the
Government’s four-year $556 million Technology for
Learning (T4L) program which replaced the former
Computers in Schools Program (CISP).
Christine Ewan
General Manager, Planning and Innovation
SES Level 5, $221,950
Appointed: 14 March 2005
Dr Ewan is responsible for a portfolio whose central
purpose is to link the corporate planning processes of
DET with the analysis and reporting of its performance
in State and national contexts, and with an evidence
base to support innovation and policy development.
This brief covers a broad range of operational
functions from data collection to national reporting
to research management and dissemination of
innovation.
Her main objectives during 2005 were to establish a
team with flexible expertise necessary to encompass
the breadth of responsibilities, to review and revise
processes for planning and reporting and to contribute
actively to the organisational renewal of DET, in
particular to its information management and policy
development infrastructure.
She represented NSW on the Performance
Measurement and Reporting Taskforce (PMRT) of
the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment,
Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) and several
of its subcommittees as well as the National Training
Statistics Committee and the Management Board of
the National Education and Training Statistics Unit.
She has played an active role in DET in the review of
business processes through membership of several
key planning committees.
Dr Ewan led developments during 2005 to review and
rationalise DET corporate planning and accountability
processes, to establish online systems to increase
the efficiency and effectiveness of planning and
performance reporting and to automate and simplify
the process of approvals for research in schools.
She has also had a role in coordinating Professor
George Cooney’s review of statewide school student
assessment in NSW. She has established successful
cross-portfolio projects to enable DET to comply
with national funding agreements, including the
implementation of the National Assessment Program
in NSW public schools, and also to provide leadership
for innovation in priority policy areas in VET and
school education.
Robyn McKerihan
General Manager, Access and Equity
SES Level 5, $221,950
Appointed: 10 January 2005
In this newly established position, Ms McKerihan
is responsible for the leadership of the strategic
policy formulation and the provision of operational
advice in six directorates responsible for equitable
access to quality education for students enrolled in
public schools. Specifically, Ms McKerihan provided
leadership in Aboriginal Education and Training, Early
Childhood Education, Equity Programs and Distance
Education, Disability Programs, Safety and Security
and Student Welfare.
During 2005 Ms McKerihan’s priority objectives
included developing a strategic response to an
extensive departmental review of Aboriginal education
conducted during 2004, expanding the Department’s
preschool program, implementing a range of behaviour
initiatives, and continuing implementation of security
initiatives including the Department’s security fencing
program. In addition, she provided leadership in the
overhaul of special education services and a review
into equity programs.
83 NSW Department of Education and Training - Annual Report 2005