01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

Major processing improvementswere introduced to ensure theaccurate and timely payment ofsalaries to all departmentalemployees.A major review of schoolestablishment grants wascompleted during the review whilethe Money Matters resource kit andvideo was developed inconjunction with school based staffand distributed to schools.The Directorate made a substantialcontribution to the 1997 Review ofGeneral Revenue Relativities bythe Commonwealth GrantsCommission. Important work wasalso undertaken to ensure that thefull impact on public educationfunding was considered by theCommonwealth Government in theintroduction of the enrolmentbenchmark adjustment. Extensivefinancial analysis was carried outin relation to the Integration/Inclusion Feasibility Studycompleted by David McRae.The Finance Directorate alsodeveloped procedures andguidelines to enable theGovernment’s $50 Back-to-SchoolAllowance Scheme to beimplemented from the 1998 schoolyear. The process included thecapture of parent and student datafor 1.1 million students attendingmore than 3,000 New South Walesschools.Personnel DirectorateA new Staffing Agreement betweenthe Department and the New SouthWales Teachers Federation wassigned. The agreement outlinesprocedures for the staffingof schools and includes theprovision of transfer opportunitiesfor executive staff other thanprincipals.New supporting documentationand application forms were alsodeveloped and electronic scanningof employment and transferapplication forms was introduced.An estimated 40,000 criminalrecord checks were undertakenannually for school-basedpermanent and casual staff.An electronic procedure wasintroduced which links the SchoolStaffing Unit of the PersonnelDirectorate with the CriminalRecords Section of the NSW PoliceService. This has significantlyreduced the time taken to completecriminal record checks.The Aboriginal Employment andCareer Development Programaims to increase the representationof Aboriginal people in alloccupations at all levels within theDepartment.The Industrial Relations Servicessection became fully operationalfrom the commencement of 1997.It consists of staff who provideadvice and operational support todistricts and directorates in relationto staff performance andmisconduct matters as well asgrievance issues and generalconditions of service.A one day course for principals onthe procedures to be used byschools in matters relating todeficiencies in staff performanceand misconduct of staff wasdeveloped in consultation withprincipals.In total, 40 courses were conductedand over 1200 school principalsand district office staff participated.A range of resource materials fordistrict offices has also beendeveloped and issued.Properties DirectorateProperties Directorate managed theproperty assets of the DSE.The construction and maintenanceof Tumbi Umbi High, Cecil HillHigh, Narellan Gardens and NorthNowra Public schools werecompleted.Glenmore Park was built inaccordance with the newSecondary Schools FacilitiesStandards, representing the cuttingedge of world trends in educationalservice delivery and providing aninternational best practice model.A review of the Primary SchoolFacilities Standards wascommenced to ensure schools meetthe needs of students, staff and thecommunity in supporting thedelivery of educational programsand providing a happy and safeenvironment.Environmentally sustainabledevelopment principles wereimplemented in school design toenhance the comfort, conditionsand environment of the school.The Nirimba Education Precinctproject continued in 1997 with theconstruction of joint use facilities.The first and second stages of theasset management system werecompleted allowing the DSE tocapitalise on the latest technicaldevelopment and to ensure theequitable distribution of limitedproperty resources across the state.A new approach to schoolmaintenance was achieved throughthe introduction of six year schoolfacility maintenance contractsproviding long term associationwith the maintenance provider,ensuring quality services andongoing commitment to service.DSE Annual Report 1997 91