Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:20): My question is for the Minister for Education. Can the minister advise the house whether students at Tea Tree Gully and other TAFE campuses will continue to be supported in their training?

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister outline to the house the benefits of the government's response to the TAFE Strategic Capability Review and related measures contained in the budget?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Thank you, sir. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about TAFE and the way that this government has stepped in to rescue TAFE from the dilapidation and the disarray in which it was left by those opposite. A $109 million rescue package was necessary for TAFE SA due to the work of the Labor Party in destroying that proud institution over a long period of time.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (14:36): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister please advise the house on the progress of primary school children attending non-government schools in the electorate of Frome being able to get access to the state government school bus system? With your leave and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: There have been occasions some families are experiencing where the child attending a public high school can access the government school bus system while their brother or sister, who may be attending a non-government primary school, cannot access the state government school bus system and has to follow in their parent's car.

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (24 July 2018). Can the minister guarantee that John Pirie Secondary School will receive $10 million under the Building Better Schools Infrastructure Program and be able to progress with plans to build new facilities for the middle school precinct, indoor/outdoor learning areas, refurbishing and extending performing arts facility and improving building exteriors, as outlined on the Department for Education and Child Development's website?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I have been advised of the following:

Ms BEDFORD: With interest in and promotion of STEM subjects well and truly underway, what thought is being given to the other side of brains and the importance of the humanities and, perhaps, similar emphasis on LAMP subjects, subjects like language, arts, music and philosophy?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:54): I am very grateful to the member for Florey for that outstanding question because it is important that we do pursue a strong STEM strategy. It's possibly one of the few particular focuses of the former minister that I have given credit to: the STEM strategy, STEM Works facilities, infrastructure projects that are being rolled out and, indeed, development in STEM PD for teachers. So there has been some good work.

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (14:54): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister update the house on programs the government is supporting in relation to language education?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:54): I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Kavel, who I know has a strong passion for education, being the son of educators. His passion for his schools is very strong. I can inform the house that I get a letter or a phone call from the member for Kavel at least once a week, and I think that is something that a number of other ministers are familiar with. He is an excellent local member, always advocating for his schools and indeed for education across the state.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:10): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister update the house on progress towards meeting the government's election commitments relating to literacy and numeracy?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:10): I thank the member for Heysen for his question and his particular interest in the importance of literacy and numeracy, which I am sure all members are aware is the foundation upon which so much of a child's education and further success in school and in life is built.

Mr TEAGUE: Can the minister update the house about activities of students engaging in STEM studies in the course of these school holidays?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:43): I am very
pleased to have that question from the member for Heysen who I know is greatly interested in his
local schools and the activities of students. During the school holidays, I was very pleased to go to
Mylor in the member for Heysen's electorate and spend some time with 108 students from around
South Australia who are engaged in the STEM Explorer Program, year 7 and 8 students, who enjoyed
their—and can I say from experience—extremely cold day in Mylor, indeed a cold week in Mylor. We
also visited some other facilities around the state as they learnt more about STEM careers and the
opportunities available through science and mathematics studies, the opportunities available to them
further in life.

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister update the house on the work being done to encourage young people in the electorate of Flinders to gain skills in aquaculture?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:45): I thank the member for Flinders for this question, and I acknowledge his particular interest in the young people in his electorate, and indeed their futures, and his particular interest in supporting the aquaculture industry that is so important for the economy of Eyre Peninsula and of South Australia. I am very pleased to identify that there's a lot of good work being done to ensure that those young people in the member for Flinders's electorate have the opportunity to have a better future with more jobs. One of the ways in which we are doing that is by delivering better services. That's what the new Marshall Liberal government is doing.

Mr BASHAM: My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister inform the house about the progress towards meeting the government's commitments to address truancy?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:57): I am very grateful to the member for Finniss for this question. The member for Finniss shares the concerns that I and all members on this side of the house have, and I hope all members of the house have, for our students who are truant. We are ensuring that we do everything we can to get them back to school.