Archived News for Education Sector Professionals
Western Australia’s peak union body, UnionsWA, has used results of a Curtin University study to reinforce its criticism of the WA Government’s Independent Public Schools (IPS) initiative.
According to UnionsWA, the report, written by Dr Scott Fitzgerald and Professor Al Rainnie of Curtin Graduate School of Business, provides evidence that self-managing schools open the way for greater privatisation of the education system, increase the workload of education staff, undermine teaching by increasing administration, and most importantly, do not improve overall student learning outcomes.
The report examines the implementation of policies similar to IPS in other states and overseas, showing “that there is no convincing evidence that the implementation of policies similar to IPS have led to significant improvements in student outcomes. Rather, in many cases they have actually reduced the standard of education delivery and threatened the equity of student outcomes within, and between, schools by reinforcing social disadvantage.”
Enrolments in public vocational education and training surge
Enrolments in public vocational education and training course in 2010 rose by 5.4% from 2009, to a total of 1.8 million students, according to a report released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
Graduate employment slides for second year
A new report from Graduate Careers Australia (GCA), Graduate Destinations 2010, shows that, in 2010, employment prospects for new higher education graduates fell for the second year running.
$20 million fund to support Victorian regional partnerships between TAFE and Universities
The Victorian Government has announced a new $20 million Regional Partnerships Facilitation Fund that will support alliances between universities and Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers in regional Victoria.
Early Childhood Education and Care Census released
The first national census of Australia’s preschools, kindergartens and childcare services reveals an increase in the number of workers with relevant qualifications and finds that overall job satisfaction is high across the sector.
Universities Australia calls for continued focus on higher education reform
Universities Australia, the peak body for Australia’s 39 universities, has called for parliamentarians to maintain what it describes as “the positive nature of recent debates on higher education” in the forthcoming debate on the Demand Driven Funding System Bill that was introduced to the House of Representatives last month.
Training needed for 55,000 indigenous jobs
The Australian Employment Covenant, an initiative launched by mining entrepreneur, Andrew Forrest, claims it has passed its target of finding 50,000 jobs for Indigenous Australians, but is calling for increased government commitment to training to enable the jobs to be filled.
Victoria threatens education split
The Victorian Liberal State Government has threatened to break with the Federal Government over key aspects of languages education, refusing to relinquish control over “critical areas” to the Federal Government.
Victoria opens Indian PhD scholarships
The Australia India Institute and the Victorian State Government have launched the Doctorial Scholarship Program to allow ten of India’s “best and brightest” PhD students to study in Victoria.
ALTC rewards early career achievers
The Australian Learning & Teaching Council (ALTC) has announced 22 “Early Career” achievers as part of its 2011 Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.
$138 million announced for literacy and numeracy awards
The Federal Government has confirmed that over $138 million in Commonwealth reward funding will be awarded to the country's states that achieved Smarter Schools National Partnership for Literacy and Numeracy program standards.
TEQSA gets go ahead
The Federal Government has welcomed the passage of the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency Bill 2011 that will see the formation of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
EDNA to be decommissioned
The Education Network of Australia (EDNA) is to be decommissioned, with dismantling to commence 30 June and to be finalized by 30 September.
Melbourne Business School to drive better, greener management practices
The Melbourne Business School (MBS) will drive change and improvements to management practices in small to medium businesses under the Federal Government’s Leadership 21 program.
ANU ranks amongst the best
The Australian National University (ANU) has ranked in the top 12 universities worldwide in arts and humanities according to the 2011 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject.
Deakin hosts symposium on labour health
A symposium on the health effects of temporary employment on workers has been held by Deakin University, finding that those on temporary or labour hire roles were more vulnerable to poor OHS standards than their full time counterparts.
$6.1 million for space research and education
The Federal Government has announced a $6.1 million program designed to create new engineering education pathways in satellite tracking and movement and accuracy of weather predictions.
Further information on critical skills fund released
Training proposals for construction workers, drillers, electrical technicians and mining workers will be among those considered for funding under the first round of the $200 million Critical Skills Investment Fund.
New Trade Training Centre opens in Prestons
The Federal Government has announced the opening of the $1.3 million Trade Training Centre (TTC) in Sydney's South, allowing access of around 350 students to vocational training facilities.
International student enrolments down by 9.3%
Figures for international student enrolments in Australia for the year to April 2011 have shown a 9.3% decline on the same period in 2010, according to figures released by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Education takes hammering in Tasmanian budget
The Tasmanian Government has announced cuts to a range of education and skills initiatves in the state budget in a bid to save $190 million over the next four years.