Archived News for Education Sector Professionals
The Federal Government has awarded $27 million to 12 projects under the new NBN-Enabled Education and Skills Services Program, which aims to integrate the use of the National Broadband Network into schools to enhance education and training outcomes for students.
Minister for School Education Peter Garrett announced the successful pilot programs during an interactive online drama workshop with the Bell Shakespeare Company at the Sydney Opera House and students at Willunga High School in South Australia.
More than 150 applications were received from registered training organisations, TAFEs, schools, universities and not-for-profit organisations for the program.
Government launches financial literacy teaching resource
The Federal Government has launched its new MoneySmart Teaching Primary Package, aimed at helping young Australian students become more confident, informed and responsible financial consumers.
Simulation facility opens in Melbourne
An Australian first building and construction simulation facility has opened in South Melbourne, which is expected to be able to train up to 7,000 building and construction industry professionals and students a year.
Slash non-socially benefitial subisides urges report
An unclear contribution to broader society and a generally strong private result means graduates should pay more for their courses, according to a report released by the Grattan Institute.
Flinders Uni to launch Tonsley Park centre
Flinders University has announced it will establish a teaching and research centre at South Australia’s new advanced manufacturing hub in Adelaide’s Tonsley Park.
Queensland announces Training Award finalists
Queensland Minister for Education, Training and Employment, John-Paul. Langbroek, has announced the finalists for the 51st annual Queensland Training Awards.
IBSA seeks new directors
Innovation & Business Skills Australia (IBSA), one of eleven Industry Skills Councils authorized by the Australian Government to provide a voice on vocational education and training issues, is seeking to appoint new board directors.
$21m project targets Western Sydney university participation
A new partnership between the Federal Government and Sydney universities aims boost the number of students from Greater Western Sydney going to university.
Protests build agains Victorian TAFE cuts
Education unions are continuing a campaign against the Victorian Government’s plans to cut nearly $300 million from the state’s 18 TAFE institutes.
A protest rally was jointly organised by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Victorian Division and the Australian Education Union (AEU) in central Melbourne on Thursday 2 August.
Colin Long, NTEU Victorian President, said that more details were emerging daily about the ramifications including job losses, a reduction in courses and increased fees. He said RMIT’s TAFE is slated to lose $20 million of its public funding, with over 150 jobs to go.
“RMIT started life as a ‘workingman’s’ college. These cuts are an attack on its fundamental purpose. They’re bad news for students, bad news for staff and bad, bad news for the future of Victoria.”
Yesterday’s rally was the fourth in a series of protests against the TAFE cuts being organised across Melbourne, culminating in a mass rally on Thursday, August 16 at the State Library.
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DVD to promote understanding of autism
Around 10,000 schools across Australia will receive a DVD aimed at helping school children understand, accept and support children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Government commits to anti-bullying toolkit
The Federal Government will provide $4 million to develop new online toolkits to help parents, teachers, and students deal with school bullying.
NSW to make it easier to sack teachers
The NSW government wants to make it easier to fire underperforming teachers and more difficult to enter the profession.
Report finds more funding per university student
A new report, entitled An Independent analysis of higher education funding approach, by Ernst & Young shows that funding for university student places will be 10.1 per cent or almost $2,000 higher in 2013 .
Females perform better than males in education: ABS
A report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that men continue to fare worse than women in education.
Hilmer warns of need for deregulation to fight university decline
Universities need to be more aggressive in fighting red tape, funding shortages and incoherent policy, UNSW
Queensland budget cuts bite in education portfolio
The Queensland Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek has announced a series of measures to reduce expenditure in his portfolio.
Regional universities funded under Collaborative Research Network program
Three regional universities will receive $19.6 million in federal government funding to improve their research capacity and drive stronger performance outcomes.
More WA schools change to independent status
The Western Australian Education Minister Peter Collier has announced 48 more schools that have been selected to become Independent Public Schools to start in 2013, bringing the overall total in the reform of WA’s education system to 255 (one third of Western Australia’s public schools).
Review of agricultural education and training in NSW
The NSW Government has appointed Professor Jim Pratley to conduct a year-long independent Review of Agricultural Education and Training.
Consultation on childcare and early learning services
The Federal Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care, Kate Ellis has announced a consultation on childcare and early learning services, focusing on funding for services in urban, regional, remote and Indigenous communities under the Budget Based Funded (BBF) program.
“This $57 million program supports more than 300 various services around Australia and plays an important role in ensuring families have access to an early childhood service where the market would otherwise fail to provide one,” Ms Ellis said.
“Importantly, the consultation I’ve announced today follows the Government's commitment of $59.4 million to improve the quality of centre-based BBF services, including ongoing funding to raise staff qualifications and support building maintenance.”
A discussion paper entitled Quality Early Childhood Education and Care for Children in Regional, Remote and Indigenous Communities: A Review of the Budget Based Funding Program will be the focus for the consultation.
The discussion paper looks at what is working and what can be improved, and the consultation will include meetings for stakeholders and interested parties.
The discussion paper and factsheets are available at www.deewr.gov.au/bbfreview
ICT Literacy Report released
The 2011 National Assessment Program in ICT (NAP – ICT) Literacy Report has been released, providing an overview of how Australian students are performing in the digital age.