Post-Compulsory Education in Draft recommendations of the Working Party - for consultation Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Table of Contents Page

1. Introduction...... 1 Terms of Reference ...... 1 Membership of the Working Party...... 2 Background ...... 2 National and International Comparisons ...... 3

2. Roles for Major Providers ...... 5 Core Business ...... 5 Overlap and Competition/Cooperation Issues...... 6 TAFE and the Schools Sector...... 6 TAFE and the ...... 7

3. Policy Context ...... 9

4. Purpose and Values for Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania...... 11

5. Key Issues and Draft Recommendations...... 13

Retention to Year 12...... 13 Draft Recommendations 1 – 6 Literacy and Numeracy ...... 14 Draft Recommendations 7 – 11 VET in Schools ...... 15 Draft Recommendations 12 – 21 Organisational and Cultural Change ...... 17 Draft Recommendations 22 – 24 Mathematics and Science...... 17 Draft Recommendations 25 – 26 Higher Education ...... 18 Draft Recommendations 27 – 32 Vocational Education and Training...... 19 Draft Recommendations 33 – 34 Life-long Learning ...... 20 Recommendation 35

i Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

ii Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Introduction

The objective of the Post-Compulsory1 Education and Training Project is to develop and implement a comprehensive post-compulsory education and training policy which best meets the particular needs of the State. In late 1998 a report (Report on the Post Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth) that focused on data collection and collation was produced. The purpose of the data review was to gain a comprehensive understanding of Tasmania’s performance with respect to participation and outcomes in senior secondary education, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education.

This paper raises issues and develops draft recommendations for post-compulsory education in Tasmania. Recommendations made in the paper are framed in terms of broad policy statements. No attempt is made to outline implementation strategies. Recommendations are intended to promote discussion particularly relating to effective implementation strategies. Responses are sought from interested stake-holders on recommendations and implementation strategies.

The paper is not intended to be an all-inclusive post-compulsory plan for Tasmania. The focus groups for this paper are primarily the senior secondary and vocational education and training sectors. However, the paper will provide the basis for a comprehensive State post-compulsory education strategy, covering all sectors.

Terms of Reference for the Working Party A working party was formed to develop policy recommendations based on the Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth and relevant national and State policies. The terms of reference and membership of the working party are set out below.

1. Establish a statement of purpose and values for post-compulsory education in Tasmania. 2. Provide a statement of roles/core business for major providers. Identify overlap and competition/cooperation issues. 3. Identify key policy issues to be addressed by the State Government with respect to post-compulsory education in Tasmania; and 4. Develop recommendations to address policy issues.

1 ‘Post-compulsory education’ is defined as post year 10 secondary education, vocational education and training and higher education.

1 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Membership

Tim Doe (Chair) — Deputy Secretary Schools and Colleges Alison Jacob — Deputy Secretary Strategic Development and Evaluation David Hanlon — Director Office of Education Carey McIver — District Superintendent Barrington Education District Malcolm Salier — Chief Executive Officer TASSAB Kate Shipway — A/g Director Equity Standards Paul Murphy — General Manager Institute of Industry Therese Taylor — General Manager Drysdale Institute Sue Bayly-Stark — Senior Policy Analyst OVET Rob Frew — Senior Policy Analyst OVET

Background

Major Findings - Report on Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth, 1998.

The report highlighted the following statistics and research findings in relation to post-compulsory education:

• Tasmania has the lowest retention to year 12, the lowest participation in higher education and the second lowest participation in TAFE of any State. It also has the highest level of youth unemployment. • Traditionally a larger percentage of Tasmanian students leave school at the end of Year 10 compared with other States. While Tasmania's retention rates remain the lowest of all Australian States, the gap is narrowing. • In Tasmania, direct retention from Year 10 to Year 11 in the government sector increased by 17% from 1998/1989 to 1990/1991, following the introduction of the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) in 1990. • The major loss for the education system in Tasmania is at the Year 10/11 transition. Once students proceed to Year 11 there is a relatively high retention rate in education at either senior secondary level or TAFE. • Over the last ten years, Tasmanian participation in TAFE has continued to increase. However, the participation rate of 13.5% for the 15-24 age cohort is lower than the national average (16.5%). • The percentage of 15-24 year olds in higher education in Tasmania in 1997 was the lowest of any State (11.4%, the Australian average being 16.4%). However, the gap has steadily declined since 1993. • Entry to higher education depends strongly on social background, type of school attended and language background. Other things being equal, attendance rates are significantly higher for teenagers from high socio-economic status backgrounds, those attending private schools, and those from non-English speaking families. • Entry to higher education is strongly related to literacy and numeracy skills. Even where the effects of social background, type of school attended and place of residence are controlled, having strong number and word skills significantly increases the likelihood of obtaining a tertiary entrance score and gaining entry to university. • Young people who perform well in literacy and numeracy in early secondary school tend to experience less unemployment by their mid twenties, other factors being equal. This result applies after controlling for education qualifications. Even among those who hold the same qualification those with higher school achievement are likely to experience less unemployment.

2 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

• The beneficial effect of completing Year 12 has been maintained despite the large rise in the percentage of young people with this qualification. The effect of Year 12 completion on decreasing the likelihood of unemployment is independent of the effect of school achievement (on decreasing the likelihood of unemployment). This suggests that encouraging low achievers to complete secondary school will improve their employment prospects. By the age of 25 completion of Year 12 reduces the odds of unemployment by 58%. The above statistics highlight the situation in Tasmania as a whole. However, there are significant regional variations in demography, retention and participation throughout the State. For example, retention from Year 10 to Year 11 in the government school sector is highest in the south of the state and lowest in the north. Participation in higher education shows similar regional differences, being highest in the south and lowest in the north-west. Policies need to address issues at the State, regional, district and school levels.

A major problem for Tasmania is that it has experienced seven consecutive years of declining population growth and a net fall in population to June 1997. The northwest, north east, west coast and central regions are particularly affected. Of particular concern is the decline in the 15-24 age range of the population. This age group has fallen by 7537 (10.4%) over the last ten years. The decline is expected to continue.

National and International Comparisons Education and training are increasingly being identified as critical factors in improving economic capability2. Australia has a disappointingly low post-compulsory education profile in comparison to other industrialised nations3. Whether this is restraining the competitiveness of Australian industries requires further study. However, the risk of ignoring the growing post-compulsory education gap between Australia and other countries seems high.

Tasmanian students appear to be below the Australian average on all the components that make up the Finn targets4.

Finn Target One: By 2001, 95 per cent of 19 year olds:

• are participating in Year 12; or • have completed Year 12; or • have completed Year 10 or 11 and are participating in some formally recognised education and training; or • have completed Year 10 or 11 and have completed some formally recognised education and training.

Finn Target Two: By 2001, 60 per cent of 22 year olds:

• are participating in education and training programs which lead to level 3 awards; or • have attained level 2 qualifications; or • have attained above level 3 qualifications; or • are participating in, or have completed higher education studies such as degrees and diplomas.

This State’s relatively poor post-compulsory education and training performance has occurred in spite of the fact that for 15-24 year olds, Tasmania has the highest youth unemployment of all the States.

There are on-going initiatives that are addressing participation across all sectors. However, further improvement in post-compulsory participation within Tasmania requires strategic policy direction and coordinated effort involving all sectors. The consequences of allowing Tasmania’s skills base to decline could be significant to future economic development of the State.

2 Porter, Michael, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Free Press, New York, 1990, page 628.

3 Studies listed in Report No 3 Benchmarking Australian Qualification Profiles: Workskills and National Competitiveness: Internal Benchmarks, Performance Management Solutions (prepared for ANTA) 27 Feb. 1998, pages 23-24, research undertaken by Dr. Ron Cullen. 4 In 1991, Ministers set targets for the participation of young people in post-compulsory education and training which became known as the Finn targets. 3 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Ron Cullen, an Australian research consultant, has studied this issue in detail and comments:

If education and training reform does not create competitive work skills, there will be less employment and less capacity to reward skills in the labour market. Such outcomes act to discourage future students which, in turn, reduces participation and further reduces competitiveness. This is a cycle which needs to be blocked by any country seeking to succeed in an increasingly competitive and global marketplace. If Australia fails to respond to these challenges, profiles and work skills seem likely to decline compared to other countries. Either this will force Australia to develop industries which require lower work skills, or it will force industries to seek to compete in higher added value industries with an under-skilled workforce. In the first case, living standards will need to decline to match those of competitors; in the second case, employment is likely to be lost to other countries with more highly skilled workforces5.

He further considers that ‘education and training constitute perhaps the single greatest long-term leverage point available to all levels of government in upgrading industry’.

The education and training system has a significant role to play in meeting the skill requirements of the State’s enterprises and, over the longer term, lifting the overall Tasmanian skill base. The next decade will see industrialised nations move increasingly to a knowledge-based society. Education and training have a significant strategic role to play in ensuring that the Tasmanian workforce is sufficiently skilled to enable the State’s enterprises to participate fully in national and international markets.

5 Cullen, Ron, Report Number 3 Benchmarking Australian Qualification Profiles... op cit.

4 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Roles/core business for major providers

The key providers of post-compulsory education in Tasmania are:

• senior secondary colleges • adult education • TAFE Tasmania • high schools • private providers • district high schools • the Catholic school system • open learning • independent schools • providers of non-certificated training. • the University of Tasmania • the armed services • other universities • professional organisations (with their own certification)

Core Business

In the past, the core business of schools could be identified as general education, while the TAFE sector was involved with vocational training. VET in Schools, in particular, has blurred this distinction. However, broad statements can be made with respect to the core educational focus of each sector. The following table should be interpreted in the context of the national goals for schools, VET and higher education as outlined in the policy context.

Table 2.1

Sector Core Business Target Group Main Areas of overlap

Schools Education K-12; 6 to 18 years Post Year 10 with TAFE. including TCE in years 9-12 and VET VET AQF6 1 and 2 (Certificates I in Schools in Years and II) with TAFE. 11 and 12.

TAFE VET AQF levels 1-6. 16 years + Post Year 10 with Schools. Post Year 10 VET AQF 1 and 2 (Certificates I and II) with Schools. AQF 5 and 6 (Advanced Diploma and Diploma) with universities.

Higher Education Bachelor to doctoral Post Year 12 AQF 5 and 6 (Advanced Diploma degrees and Diploma) with TAFE.

6 The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides a comprehensive, nationally consistent, yet flexible, framework for all qualifications in post-compulsory education and training. The AQF comprises national qualifications issued in the secondary schools sector, the TAFE sector and in the higher education sector (mainly Universities).

5 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

The post-compulsory sector has become increasingly flexible in the number of pathways open to school- leavers, (refer table below). Although entry to TAFE directly from Year 10 is an option, an increasing proportion of students at both national and state levels have completed Years 11 and 12 prior to entry to TAFE. Some of the pathways for school-leavers at the end of Year 10 are shown below. Table 2.2 Post Year 10 Pathways to Education, Training and Employment Note: This list does not include all possible options. It shows a variety of pathways post Year 10. Tear 10 Year 11 Year 12 TCE TCE TCE TAFE/University

TCE TCE TCE Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE TCE Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TCE Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TCE Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE TAFE - non-Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE/VIS Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE/VIS TAFE - non-Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE/VIS Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TCE/VIS TCE/VIS TAFE/University Pathways TCE TCE/VIS TCE/VIS Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TCE/VIS TCE/VIS Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TAFE TAFE Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TAFE TAFE Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE TAFE Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE Traineeship/Apprenticeship

TCE Employment (Full or Part-time)

TCE TAFE TAFE TAFE/University (28% of year 10 leavers in 1998 did not participate in further study)

Overlap and competition/cooperation issues

TAFE and the Schools Sector

A number of areas of overlap clearly exist, particularly between TAFE and the schools sector. One area, for example, relates to the delivery of VET by schools. The area of overlap with respect to diplomas in TAFE and the University is also noted.

The availability of alternative pathways within the post-compulsory sector requires flexibility on the part of TAFE Tasmania, schools and senior secondary colleges to meet the needs of individuals and groups of students, particularly those at risk.

The most efficient and effective use of resources is an issue. Each sector could have its own resources and this may result in duplication. An alternative approach is to have a cooperative approach which aims to maximise the use of existing staff and infrastructure. A framework which maximises the effective use of resources of all sectors needs to be established.

6 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

TAFE and the University of Tasmania

There is potential to expand on initiatives between TAFE and the University of Tasmania. Currently, TAFE qualified applicants for University courses are deemed to have met general admission requirements to the University (in the same manner as students with TCE background).

Credit The University of Tasmania and TAFE Tasmania, jointly publish information on automatic credit available to TAFE qualified students in University courses and on articulation arrangements in place to link a number of courses.

Automatic credit of one year’s standing is provided for TAFE-qualified students in University degrees in Administration (Human Resource Management), Adult & Vocational Education, Agriculture, Architecture, Business, Commerce, Computing, Early Childhood Education, Horticulture, Nursing, Social Work and Visual Arts and Design. Credit is also extended in a range of other programs including Applied Science, Arts, Engineering and Science.

Direct Articulation The Bachelor of Business Administration (Hospitality Management) articulates directly to the TAFE (Drysdale) Advanced Diploma enabling students to complete the skills-based Advanced Diploma in two years and the BBA (Hospitality Management) in a further calendar year.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (Tourism Management) articulates directly to the TAFE (Drysdale) Advanced Diploma enabling students to complete the skills-based Advanced Diploma in two years and the BBA (Tourism Management) in a further calendar year.

The Bachelors of Applied Science (Agriculture and Horticulture) articulate with related TAFE associate diplomas providing full credit for TAFE studies and completion of the degree in a further year of study.

A course framework has been approved for a degree program in Visual Arts (in the joint University/TAFE Art Academy at Inveresk) involving a 3 year degree that includes TAFE teaching in at least 25% of the course and end-on articulation to related TAFE courses.

Further development and implementation of credit transfer and articulation arrangements between TAFE Tasmania and the University of Tasmania will remove structural barriers and provide alternative pathways to higher education.

7 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

8 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Policy Context The discussion and recommendations which follow are framed within a number of national policies.

The Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century details a number of goals. In particular the declaration states that:

...all students have access to the high quality education necessary to enable the completion of school education to Year 12 or its vocational equivalent and that provides clear and recognised pathways to employment and further education and training.

The Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) Strategy for Vocational Education and Training7 outlines policy directions for the period 1998-2003. The ANTA Ministerial Council has identified five objectives:

• equipping Australians for the world of work; • enhancing mobility in the labour market; • achieving equitable outcomes in vocational education and training • increasing investment in training; and • maximising the value of public vocational education and training expenditure.

The Federal Government’s objectives for higher education as set out in the Higher Education Report for the 1999 to 2001 Triennium, to:

• expand opportunity; • assure quality; • improve universities’ responsiveness to varying student needs and industry requirement; • advance the knowledge base and contribute to national and global innovation; and • ensure public accountability for cost-effective use of public resources.

National goals relating to VET in Schools At its Adelaide meeting of 22/23 April 1999 MCEETYA identified a number of elements as priorities for action in the years 1999-2004. In particular the Council identified the following as priorities:

• further expansion of VET in Schools and part-time New Apprenticeships for senior secondary schools; • specific measures to address organisational and cultural change in schools and to develop cost-effective programs; • introduction of specific strategies to improve access for students in rural and remote areas and for educationally disadvantaged students; and • establishment of arrangements for the assessment of VET to provide a direct contribution to tertiary entrance scores in order to ensure that genuine pathways exist.

7 ‘A Bridge to the Future: Australia’s National Strategy for Vocational Education and Training 1998-2003.’

9 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

10 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Purpose and Values for Post Compulsory Education in Tasmania The public and private benefits of post-compulsory education can be categorised in terms of economic and social benefits8. Public economic benefits result in overall improvement of the national economy, or major segments of the economy as a result of people’s participation in post-compulsory education. These benefits include increased tax revenues, greater productivity, increased consumer consumption, increased workforce flexibility and decreased reliance on government financial support. Private economic benefits include higher salaries and benefits, higher rates of employment, higher savings levels, improved working conditions and personal and professional mobility.

Research has shown that are there are benefits that accrue to society and the individual from post compulsory education that are not directly related to economic, fiscal or labour market effects. Public social benefits have been found to include reduced crime rates, increased community service and increased quality of civic life, improved social cohesion and appreciation of diversity and an improved ability of society to adapt to, and use technology. Private social benefits of post compulsory education include improved health and life expectancy, improved quality of life for children, better consumer decision making, increased personal status and more involvement in leisure activities.

The working party developed the following statement of purpose and values for post-compulsory education in Tasmania.

Education and training in Tasmania has a key role in developing adults with both the ability and willingness for life-long learning who have the capacity, and desire to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the State.

A comprehensive post-compulsory education system in Tasmania should:

• ensure equity and access by providing flexible arrangements for the delivery of learning; • be responsive to the State’s changing social and economic environment; • provide for coordinated and cooperative efforts across providers; • result in a community that values learning; and • contribute to a skills base that will facilitate economic and/or employment growth.

Young people, undertaking post-compulsory education, should be able to relate the education and training they are engaged in to their options for the future.

8 Reaping the Benefits. Defining the public and private value of going to college. Prepared for the Institute of Higher Education Policy, March 1998.

11 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

12 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Key issues and draft recommendations

Retention to Year 12 National studies, particularly the Dusseldorf Skills forum reports Reality and Risk and The Deepening Divide: A Dangerous Age for Young Australians, reinforce the fact that young people who do not complete Year 12 are significantly disadvantaged in the labour market. By the age of 25, completion of Year 12 reduces the chances of unemployment by 58%. The studies showed that early school leaving is largely concentrated among people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with low literacy and numeracy skills.

Tasmania's retention rate to Year 12 remains the lowest of all Australian States. Although the gap has decreased over the last ten years, Tasmania's retention to Year 12 in 1997 was still 13.2% below the national average.

The major factor contributing to these retention figures is the larger percentage of Tasmanian students who leave school at the end of Year 10 compared with other States. In 1998, 27.8% of Tasmanian Year 10 students in government schools did not continue to Year 11. This compares with an Australian average of 16.6%.

Although retention rates remain lower than the Australian average, direct retention to Year 11 in the school sector has increased by 38% between 1985 and 1998. This increase has been of equal magnitude for district high and high schools as a group, although district high schools began from a lower base (25.5%) compared with high schools (35.7%).

However, retention rates still vary considerably between regions, districts and schools. In 1998, within the government school sector, the southern region had the highest direct retention rates from Year 10 to Year 11 (78.9%). The direct retention rate in the northwest was 70.2% while the northern region had the lowest retention rate of 66.4%. At a district level direct retention ranged from 81.9% in the Hartz district in 1998 to 65.9% in the Macquarie district. The range is even greater between schools. The highest school figure for direct retention9 was 100% and the lowest was 34%10 in 1998. In general, retention rates in high schools are higher than in district high schools, although district high schools in the south have a higher average retention rate than high schools in the north and north west. In view of this variation within the State, policies to increase retention may need to be targetted to particular schools and districts.

The Tasmanian study of 1995 Year 10 cohort students showed that at the end of 1995, 1,498 Year 10 students (23.3% of the cohort) left school and did not return to education or training. This large group of young people who left school before completing Year 12 and who did not enrol at TAFE also have, on average, low literacy and numeracy skills. Their average English/Maths score was 12.9/24 compared to 17.5/24 for students at Government schools and 18.7/24 for students attending non-Government schools.

The Reference Group agreed that, in light of available evidence, increasing participation in post-compulsory education is an economic and public benefit. It follows that a major policy priority for post-compulsory education should be to increase retention from Year 10 to 12. This priority raises a number of associated issues that need to be addressed, including the provision of relevant curriculum and the needs of disadvantaged students. The achievement of this objective requires retention from Year 10 to 11 (or its equivalent) to be addressed in the first instance.

9 Direct retention rate is defined as the percentage of students of a given cohort who have continued to a particular year level. It is termed direct because it is confined to those students who are part of the original group. Students who join the cohort over the intervening years are excluded from the calculation. The direct retention rate is therefore generally less than the comparable retention rate. 10 Education Department unpublished data 1999.

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Draft recommendations to increase retention to Year 12 Draft recommendations 1-6 are aimed at increasing retention.

Draft recommendation 1 Retention statistics for post Year 10 pathways in education and training should include retention in school and recognised training. Draft recommendation 2 All post Year 10 education pathways should be designed and delivered to ensure that continuity of learning is provided. Although Year 10/11 retention in school should be the major pathway for Year 10 students it is recognised that other pathways, including retention to TAFE, may be a preferred choice for some students.

Draft recommendation 3 Targets for Year 10/11 and Year 11/12 retention should be established. The Department should utilise appropriate research and data to identify targets for specific regions, districts, schools and student groups.

Draft recommendation 4 Strategies should be further developed and implemented to ensure that schools and colleges work co-operatively to achieve increased Year 10/11 retention. A range of options may be utilised to achieve this objective.

Draft recommendation 5 The Department should support and encourage schools, colleges and TAFE in the development of innovative approaches to increase retention rates.

Draft recommendation 6 Research on the educational and employment pathways followed by the 1996 Year 10 cohort should be undertaken.

Literacy and Numeracy Dusseldorf Skills forum11 reports Reality and Risk and The Deepening Divide: a Dangerous Age for Young Australians based on ACER’s longitudinal study of Australia’s youth has shown that students’ skills in literacy and numeracy are more important in respect to their future educational and employment success than anything else. Literacy and numeracy skills are a better predictor of employment prospects, completion of schooling and entry into university than a student’s period of education or training, socio-economic background or type of school attended.

The Deepening Divide: a Dangerous Age for Young Australians notes that young people who perform well in literacy and numeracy in early secondary school tend to experience less unemployment by their mid twenties, other factors being equal. This result applies after controlling for educational qualifications.

The 1995 Year 10 cohort study in the Report on the Post-Compulsory Education And Training of Tasmania’s Youth showed clearly the relationship between literacy and numeracy and post compulsory education.

The Year 10 average Maths/English score out of 24 was calculated for those in the year 10 cohort who participated in the TCE. An average score was then found for those who remained in school, those in TAFE, and those not in education. In 1996 the group with the highest score transferred to Year 11 (18.7 average score); the group with the second highest score was the group which went to TAFE (14.1 average score). The group which did not proceed to education had the lowest score (12.2 average). The use of averages masks variation within each group, but it does give an indication of broad trends. A similar pattern exists for those retained in education in 1997 and 1998 with the lowest scoring group leaving education. The group proceeding to the University of Tasmania had the highest average score (20.4), those remaining in senior secondary or going to TAFE had an average of 15.6 and those not remaining in education 14.4.

11 The Dusseldorp Skills Forum is an independent, non profit association with a charter to stimulate innovative educational developments, to focus upon the importance of the workforce in the continuing development of Australia, and to reach out to the wider community to promote the formation of skills and personal effectiveness, particularly in young people. The Forum was established in 1988 on the retirement of Mr G J Dussledorp, founder of the Lend Lease Group of Companies. 14 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

The cohort study also showed students from lower socio-economic backgrounds (receiving Student Assistance), who have high literacy levels have a significantly higher chance of obtaining a TE score than students with lower literacy levels.

Many jurisdictions make English mandatory until the end of Year 12. However, although this may be very valuable it is not a guarantee of literacy.

Draft recommendations for literacy and numeracy Draft recommendations 7-11 aim to ensure that appropriate mechanisms are put in place to ensure literacy and numeracy is given high priority at all levels of schooling.

Draft recommendation 7 Early and continuing intervention programs to prevent low school achievement in literacy and numeracy should be viewed as a priority for Government. A range of options may be used to achieve this objective.

Draft recommendation 8 The Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board should be approached to undertake consultation with a view to ensuring that the development and assessment of literacy competence and where appropriate numeracy competence is part of every TCE syllabus.

Draft recommendation 9 The development of alternative secondary and senior secondary school programs should be investigated and where appropriate, implemented to meet the needs of students with low level literacy and numeracy skills.

Draft recommendation 10 Mechanisms to provide ‘second chance’ education for people with low level literacy and numeracy skills, who are returning to education, should be developed in consultation with TAFE (Adult literacy), schools and senior secondary colleges.

Draft recommendation 11 The Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board should be approached to undertake consultation with a view to making literacy and numeracy thresholds part of a requirement for Year 12 graduation (Refer recommendation 23).

VET in Schools A major factor in increasing retention is to provide relevant education for students in Years 11 and 12. The VET in schools program has increased significantly in recent years to meet this need. In 1998, 1,824 certificates and statements of results were issued to Year 11 and Year 12 students. This means that over 15% of government senior secondary students completed a VET in Schools course.

Each of these VET in Schools courses involves approximately 28 days of vocational placement during which competencies are acquired and assessed in the workplace. These programs do not involve a contract of employment, as is the case with traineeships, but they frequently lead to employment and this usually involves further training.

Recent national goals for VET in schools involve an expansion of VET in schools programs and part-time traineeships and apprenticeships for senior secondary students. The maintenance and expansion of the VET in schools program is dependent on the maintenance of close relationships between the education sector and industry parties.

TAFE Tasmania reported a significant demand in 1998 for Year 10 students to participate in VET programs as a complement to normal schooling. This apparent demand requires further investigation.

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Draft recommendations for VET in Schools Draft recommendations 12-21 aim to ensure that relevant VET programs are provided in senior secondary schools and pathways to further education established.

Draft recommendation 12 In accordance with national goals recognised VET programs should normally be delivered to students after they complete Year 10.

Draft recommendation 13 The apparent demand for Year 10 students to participate in recognised VET programs delivered by TAFE Tasmania should be further investigated.

Draft recommendation 14 Post compulsory VET in schools should continue to deliver only nationally recognised VET programs.

Draft recommendation 15 Post compulsory VET in schools programs should continue to be actively promoted and supported.

Draft recommendation 16 No limits should be placed on expansion of VET in schools, but the proposed national target of 40% of Year 11 and 12 students involved in VET by the Year 2004 should be adopted.

Draft recommendation 17 Access by senior secondary students to part-time traineeships should be facilitated.

Draft recommendation 18 Preparatory generic work education courses should be available to students enrolling in Years 11 and 12 to facilitate access to vocational placements and recognised VET programs.

Draft recommendation 19 Strategies should be developed and implemented to ensure that a cooperative approach is developed between senior secondary colleges and TAFE with regard to the delivery of VET programs in colleges. The goals should be mechanisms to obtain quality outcomes for students by increasing retention and sharing resources.

Draft recommendation 20 The Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board and the University of Tasmania should be approached to develop arrangements to provide for VET qualifications to contribute to the tertiary entrance score in order to maximise pathway options for students.

Draft recommendation 21 Post-compulsory local-area-partnerships between education and industry, such as the Education Business Training Partnership, should be strongly supported. Co-ordination models should be expanded to other areas of the State, where appropriate.

16 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Organisational and Cultural Change Draft recommendations 22-24 encourage organisational and cultural change in schools. They also encourage students to stay at school to complete a full and useful course of study and provide achievable goals for all students including those who are not bound for higher education.

Although the TCE includes Year 9 to Year 12, there is also a major curriculum break between Year 10 and Year 11. Many college subjects are marketed as having no pre-requisites and many new subjects start in Year 11. This creates a perception that a curriculum stage has been completed at the end of Year 10.

Draft recommendation 22 K-12 curriculum consultations should be undertaken, in cooperation with the Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board, to address the need for continuity from Kindergarten through to the completion of Year 12. High priority should be given to continuity from Years 10 to 11. Graduation at the end of Year 12 Currently the most important graduation celebration for Tasmanian Government school students occurs at the end of Year 10. Tasmania is the only State or Territory that does not have some form of school or system threshold to be achieved at the end of Year 12. Graduation at the completion of Year 12 may help Tasmania increase its Year 7-12 retention. Draft recommendation 23 In cooperation with the Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board a graduation threshold should be introduced that can be achieved at the end of Year 12 by most students. Specialisation by colleges The Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth shows that there are quite large differences in the subject enrolment patterns between colleges. These differences are probably largely due to the different emphasis given to subject areas by each college and to the quality of subject teaching and leadership. There may be significant advantages for students if this specialisation is encouraged, particularly in Hobart and Launceston. It could also reduce the duplication of resources.

Draft recommendation 24 Specialisation by colleges in specific subject areas should be further investigated. Future policy directions should be driven by research outcomes.

Mathematics and Science Tasmanian Year 12 students appear to be involved in significantly less Maths and Science than students in the other States and Territories (POCO p25). While this could be due to subject definition differences and to the curriculum organisation in Years 11 and 12, it could also reflect a lack of curriculum sequence and the enormous subject choice in Tasmanian post-compulsory education.

Draft recommendation 25 In cooperation with the Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board and the University of Tasmania, further investigation of the subjects studied in Years 11 and 12 should be undertaken. The aim of this investigation should be to ensure that Tasmanian students are not being disadvantaged or their opportunities at the end of Year 12 diminished, in comparison to students elsewhere in Australia, particularly with regard to Mathematics and Science. Future Year 11 and 12 TCE frameworks and course counselling should reflect the outcomes of this investigation.

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Draft recommendation 26 The University of Tasmania, TAFE and schools should investigate the feasibility of offering structured foundation programs in Maths and Science for students who did not study these subjects in Years 11 and 12 and who subsequently wish to undertake post-compulsory studies which require these subjects as pre-requisites.

Higher Education Higher education participation of 15-24 year olds in 1997 in Tasmania was the lowest in Australia at 11.4% compared with the Australian average of 16.4%. This may be partly due to a net export of qualified school leavers and also because of our regional demography.

Research undertaken for the University of Tasmania noted that in 1997, 2,238 Tasmanian higher education students were enrolled at interstate institutions. Of these 1,165 were studying externally. The report noted an increasing net outflow of higher education students from Tasmania. A total of 521 Tasmanian students commencing higher education in 1997 were studying interstate compared with 139 in 1991.

The report also noted that a DETYA analysis12 of higher education participation rates of 19-21 year olds from 1996 census data showed considerable regional variation. The participation rate in the Hobart City area was 41.3% compared with 20.7% in Greater Launceston, 19.5% in Greater Hobart and 11.1% in North Western rural and Lyell.

Direct retention to the University of Tasmania for the last three years is close to 34%. If those students who delayed entry to higher education for a year are included, the retention rate is higher. On this basis, the retention of the Tasmanian 1996 year 12 cohort to higher education is 38.3% (33.6% entering university in 1997 and a further 4.7% entering university in 1998).

Year 12 entry to the University of Tasmania has increased in absolute terms. Despite this, the relative proportion of the University’s commencing enrolments of school leavers has decreased due to growth in enrolments from other groups.

The ACER Longitudinal Study of Australian Youth, reported in the Report on the Post-Compulsory Education And Training of Tasmania’s Youth showed that entry to higher education is strongly related to literacy and numeracy skills. Low achievement in reading and numeracy early in school has a profound effect on the likelihood that a person will enter higher education.

The Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth showed clearly that students with high literacy and numeracy levels in Year 10 had a significantly higher chance of receiving a TE score than those with lower literacy skills.

The 1995 Year 10 cohort study in the Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth showed that 52% of the Year 12 group in 1997 obtained a tertiary entrance score. This may, in part, reflect the diversity of curriculum offering in Years 11 and 12 and different objectives of students at this level. However, a direct pathway to higher education is not available to students who do not have a tertiary entrance score.

The Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth also revealed that the percentage of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds (9.3%) who obtained a TE score is significantly lower than those from higher socio-economic backgrounds (24.4%).

Australian Bureau of Statistics data13 indicates that Tasmanian families have the highest level of dependence on social security payments and the lowest level of median gross weekly income of all States and Territories.

12 This unpublished study divides Tasmmania into seven statistical regions. 13 ‘Australian Social Trends 1998’, ABS Catalogue 4102.0, page 121. 18 Post-Compulsory Education in Tasmania

Draft recommendations for higher education Draft recommendations 27-32 provide for the development of policy and frameworks that will provide for a range of pathways to higher education, maintain flexibility within Years 11 and 12, and increase opportunities to access higher education particularly for targeted groups.

Draft recommendation 27 The University of Tasmania, in cooperation with the Tasmanian Secondary Schools Assessment Board should be asked to act to amend tertiary entrance arrangements to ensure that their curriculum requirements do not distort students’ curriculum choice.

Draft recommendation 28 Further investigation should be undertaken to determine the relationship between university entrance requirements and subject choice. Future policy directions should be reflective of research outcomes.

Draft recommendation 29 The University of Tasmania should be approached to review admission requirements for University entry to provide for a range of admission arrangements. Draft recommendation 30 In order to provide alternative pathways to higher education an articulation policy between TAFE Tasmania and University of Tasmania should be developed and implemented.

Draft recommendation 31 The State Government and the University of Tasmania should investigate mechanisms and opportunities to ensure Commonwealth funding is available to enable further increases in retention and participation in higher education to be accommodated by the University.

Draft recommendation 32 The State Government and the University of Tasmania should utilise available research to develop strategies to address financial and structural barriers that currently restrict students’ access to higher education.

Vocational Education and Training The Report on the Post-Compulsory Education and Training of Tasmania’s Youth data shows that over the last ten years, Tasmanian participation in TAFE has continued to increase. However, the 1997 participation rate of 13.5% for the 15-24 age cohort is lower than the national average participation rate of 16.5%. However our participation rate at age 16 and 17 is slightly higher than the Australian average.

A contributing factor to Tasmania’s lower participation rate is the different structure of TAFE courses in Tasmania. Preparatory courses are only offered to a limited extent in Tasmania (4.7% of enrolments compared to 20% across Australia). In other States pre-vocational and some Year 11 and 12 courses are provided by TAFE. The issue of access to preparatory courses in Tasmania at post-compulsory level needs to be addressed.

A positive feature of VET participation is that there has been an increase of 14% in apprenticeships and traineeships from 1995 to 1997 in Tasmania, with a significant shift from apprenticeships to traineeships. Traineeship numbers in Tasmania are increasing rapidly. Between 1995/96 and 1997/98 traineeship numbers in Tasmania increased from 1,451 to 2,310, a total increase of 859 trainees.

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Secondary colleges are increasingly competing with TAFE Tasmania and other VET providers for Year 10 and 11 leavers. However, a significant number of young people go directly to TAFE or other VET providers following Year 10 (583 or 9.1% in 1996). It is important that multiple transition points be recognised and that students are aware of pathways from college to VET, some of which may involve school VET programs. For example, the acquisition of key competencies in Years 9 and 10 is excellent preparation for students seeking qualifications under Training Packages. Secondary college students can benefit from combining VET and TCE study. Draft recommendations for vocational education and training Draft recommendations 33-34 provide for the development of policy and frameworks which will provide for a range of pathways to VET whilst maintaining flexibility within Years 11 and 12.

Draft recommendation 33 Pathways from senior secondary college to VET, including VET in Schools, should be documented and actively promoted to students and the wider community. Draft recommendation 34 The issue of access to preparatory courses in both VET and school sectors in Tasmania at post-compulsory level needs to be researched. Future policy directions should be reflective of research outcomes.

Life-Long Learning There has been a rapid increase in the number of open learning enrolments in colleges (from nil in 1997 to 600 plus FTE in 1999). This has increased the Year 7-12 apparent retention rate and provides many in the community with the opportunity to re-enter education.

Current major providers include: Secondary Colleges; TAFE Tasmania (including Adult Education) and the University of Tasmania. There are issues relating to duplication of resources and the funding of delivery (State funded versus user pays).

Draft recommendation 35 The impact of secondary college open learning, secondary college evening classes and Adult Education on increased participation in post compulsory education and the provision of educational pathways should be investigated. This investigation should incorporate an analysis of funding issues. Future policy directions should reflect research outcomes.

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