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Funding gives boost to gifted students

THE Australian Government has announced funding of $600,000 for 40 ten-day residential schools in gifted education for teachers and $600,000 for 50 new workshops for parents of gifted children across rural, regional and low socio-economic metropolitan areas throughout Australia.
"The Australian Government is committed to improving the educational outcomes of gifted students and has invested $3.8 million in gifted education programmes since 2005," Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP said.
"The residential schools for teachers will provide teachers with a ten-day residential course in gifted education, which will equip them to be co-ordinators and mentors of gifted education in their schools, which will further raise the profile and standard of gifted education in Australia.
"The new workshops will focus on strategies for the identification of gifted students and how best to cater for them in our schools. They will build on the success of the previous 50 parent workshops already held, which were eagerly sought after by parents and teachers."
A 2001 Senate Report, The Education of Gifted Students, identified the need for a greater focus on gifted education and greater support for regional and remote families with gifted children.
In response to this report, the Government introduced a range of targeted measures supported by funding of $3.2 million.
Current measures include:

$200,000 for the provision of further professional development in gifted education for teachers, commencing in 2007; and
an investigation into the possibility of establishing a National Centre for Excellence in Gifted Education.

"If the special needs of gifted children are not met, it can result in underachievement, boredom and frustration. These new workshops are another way to ensure that gifted children are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential," Minister Bishop said.