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Queensland College accused of enrolment scam cautions against assumptions


The principal of a far north Queensland school under investigation over claims of inflated enrolment figures has asked the public not to make assumptions.

Djarragun College principal Jean Illingworth says it would be inappropriate to make "pre-emptive comment" after federal School Education Minister Peter Garrett ordered the investigation.

The claims were made by former staff members at the college at Gordonvale, south of Cairns.

A News Limited report also said the school's board had commissioned its own investigation into claims of staff bullying and an alleged strip search of a student.

The Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, has urged people not to assume the allegations are true until they have been investigated.

"On face value, when you look at them, of course you have to be concerned," he said.

"However, I think we need to be cautious that we don't just jump to conclusions and I think we need to make sure that the allegations are thoroughly investigated, to see whether there's any basis or substance there at all."

Weipa allegations

Meanwhile, a senior official from Education Queensland says he is satisfied allegations of violence at another school in the Weipa area have been appropriately dealt with.

Assistant director-general Ian Mackie visited the Western Cape College late last week after complaints were made by a former teacher.

Mr Mackie interviewed staff, students, parents and businesses.

He says incidents, including an attack with a hammer and a student tying a cord around a teacher's neck, happened a long time ago and progress has been made.

Mr Mackie says parents in Weipa should be entitled to better academic performance at the college.

"The community is looking for better academic performance from the school albeit they got an OP1 and an OP2 last year - that was pretty good," he said.

"But they're looking for better performance from the school so that opportunity of commitment from the community shouldn't be missed."

He says he is satisfied with the school's response to past violence and regional departmental staff will continue monitoring other concerns raised.

"It's my assessment that there is not a problem with violence at the school outside anything that you would expect of a school of that nature from preschool through to year 12," he said.

"It's not atypical of schools - there are incidents but they are dealt with."

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