Parents at Wales Street Primary School have responded to a survey, asking whether they want Modern Greek to be returned to the curriculum.
To use an old Greek word, it’s democracy, and that’s what happens, and that’s life.
Parent advocate, Angelo Dritsas, said he was pleased with the wording of the survey, issued by independent education consultant Howard Kelly.
“It asks people to indicate their preference, whether they’d like just Italian or the three-language program,” he told Neos Kosmos.
Parents had until Wednesday December 1 to return the survey and Mr Dritsas said Mr Kelly would then compile a report with a recommendation for the school’s LOTE program for 2011.
The school, in Melbourne’s inner north, used to offer students a choice between Italian, Greek and Mandarin, but school council decided to end the Greek and Mandarin programs at the start of this year.
While the school council reported positive feedback with the change, the Victorian education department intervened last month, sending Mr Kelly to issue another survey.
Wales Street Principal Chris Sexton said, while it was “certainly a reworking” for the school council, the school community seemed to be happy with the process.
“To use an old Greek word, it’s democracy, and that’s what happens, and that’s life,” he told Neos Kosmos.
Mr Dritsas said he was confident there would be enough parent interest to get Modern Greek returned to the school.”We’re quietly confident we’ll get over the line,” he said.
Mr Dritsas said the survey mentioned that the increased LOTE program would attract state government funding, secured by local Labor MPs Jenny Mikakos and Fiona Richardson.
Both Mr Dritsas and Mr Sexton said they were confident the change in state government would not affect the funding. Mr Dritsas said he expects the report to be submitted to the school in the coming weeks.