Report Pushes Reform of Australia Schooling

A recently released report,  prepared by Professor Jack Keating from the University of Melbourne  highlights a number of structural weaknesses in Australia’s education system and proposes a path towards a cooperative rather than competitive federalist approach to schooling.“At its heart, this report is about tackling some of the root causes of educational inequality. There are enormous social and economic benefits to be gained from a well-implemented reform of our schooling system,” Professor Keating says.

Central to this report is the call for a multi-level, federalist approach to funding that prioritises schools with low completion rates and offers fee relief for low-income families. It recommends additional investment in early childhood education; an acceleration of interventionist programs in the middle years of secondary school to curb school leaving; and a strengthening of upper secondary pathways to further education and training that do not rely solely on academic results.

With the move towards a greater federal influence in the future of education and the development of a new federal funding formula post 2012, it is important that parents are aware of these developments and  contribute to the discussion which will directly affect the quality of education their children will receive in the future.

The report will assist parents in understanding the rapidly changing nature of education and it presents a way forward. Parents might discuss the implications of such a plan on our Catholic education system with other community members at their meetings.

Click here for the Full Report 

Click here for the Summary document

[NIB Vol 28 No 6 Sept 09]