Archived News for Education Sector Professionals - July, 2012
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.
What are you doing?, a short film presented by Autism Awareness Australia, written by Michael Whelan and narrated by comedian and television personality Tom Gleisner, features interviews with friends and young family members about what it is like to know someone with autism.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas and Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, Senator Jacinta Collins said the Australian Government is providing $80,000 to support the distribution of the DVD to schools across Australia.
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.
Learning how to jump and throw of key importance to children's health
Learning how to run, jump, kick and catch are skills many children are struggling to accomplish, with major implications for their general health, according to a landmark study led by the University of Sydney.
MOU boosts maritime education and training
The Australian Maritime College (AMC) has joined forces with two major interstate maritime training providers to raise the profile of seafarer training and support the Federal Government’s shipping policy reform.
Vocational Student awards announced
Five hundred of the nation's most skilled students have been recognised for their efforts in vocational education and training in schools.
Fee-free science and technology courses to boost South Australian innovation
The South Australian Employment, Higher Education and Skills Minister, Tom Kenyonhas announced that 26 STEM field courses identified as priorities for the State are now fee-free for the first time under the Skills for All reform of vocational education and training.
AWPA discussion paper highlights skills needs
The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency has released a discussion paper which examines skills and workforce development needs arising four different scenarios for Australia’s economic future.
Childcare and early ELCs discussion paper released
The Federal Government has released a discussion paper to best identify the childcare and early learning services needs for the country's most vulnerable families are met, now and in the future.
Free SA training courses to start
The South Australian Government has announced over 14,000 people living in Port Pirie, Whyalla and the Far North now have the opportunity to sign up for hundreds of fee free and funded courses under the State Government's Skills for All reforms.
$20 million for teenage training
The Federal Government has announced $20 million in additional funding for State and Territory governments to provide training for single and teenage parents to help them join the workforce.
Australian Innovation Challenge open for entries
Innovative individuals and projects across seven fields have an opportunity to secure cash prizes and national recognition as part of the Australian Innovation Challenge, an initiative of The Australian newspaper in association with Shell Australia.