Quality of Education in Australia: Report of the Review Committee, April 1985
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Quality of education in Australia: report of the Review Committee, April 1985. Quality of Education Review Committee ; Karmel Peter. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1985. © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia reproduced by permission Report of the Review Committee '1\ 1 Quality ofeducation in Australia Report of the Review Committee APRIL 1985 UIraIy NatiOnal CIIItIe far Voc:ItioneI EduI:atioII ResearcII a..v.t 11. 31IC1ngWiIiIM St. Adelaide SA 5000 Australian Government Publishing Service Canberra 1985 © Commonwealth of Australia 1985 ISBN 0 644 04131 5 y\tIldU -I 11::n1l'NIt!Jj!f ~316noitsac1V 10t ~ 1","",151,j i .18 I'I'IIllffiW QIIi)II " .tt CsveJ j 0Il01! lie ~!~!:IA _,1 Printed by Canberra Publishing and Printing Co., Fyshwick. A.C.T. Quality of Education Review Committee MLC Tower, Woden PO Box 34, Woden Australian Capital Territory 2606 Tel. (062) 89·7481; 89·7057 30 April 1985 Senator the Hon. Susan Ryan, Minister for Education, Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Dear Minister, On 14 August 1984 you announced the appointment of the Quality of Education Review Committee to examine the effectiveness of present Commonwealth involvement in primary and secondary education with a view to assisting the Government to develop clear, more efficient strategies for directing its funds for school level education. We have now completed our task and are pleased to submit to you the unanimous report of the Committee. In the preparation of this document the Committee was greatly assisted by education and labour market authorities as well as by national interest groups. We express our appreciation for their cooperation. We wish to record our special gratitude to the Secretariat, and in particular to Ms Di Mildem and Ms Helen Allnutt, for the excellence of their work which, among other things, enabled the Committee to complete its task on time. Yours sincerely, Peter Karmel Chairman Hugh Hudson Peter Kirby Barry McGaw Helen Williams iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I: THE TASK .......... I Approach .................................................................................... I Outcomes Orientation.... ............ .... ..... ......... ... ...... .... ..... ..... ...... ...... 2 Quality of Education........... ...... .............. ............. .................... .... .. 3 Equality in Education.............. ............... .... .... ......... ...... .......... .... .... 3 Structure of Report.. ..... ............... ..... ............................ .... .... ..... .... 5 References .................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 2: INPUTS - 1974 TO 1984................................................... 8 Distribution of Expenditure on Schools ..................................... ,... ..... ... 8 Recurrent Expenditure................... ..... .... .... .... ......... ...... .... ...... ........ 10 Recurrent Expenditure per Student.... ..... ....... .... .......... .. ........ ..... .... 10 Distribution of Commonwealth Funds........ .... ... ................ ..... ..... ..... 13 Resources Provided from Additional Funds. ................. ..................... .... 17 Capital Expenditure ........................................... ,. .... ...... ..... ............ 20 GDP 'and Public Outlay on Education. ..... ........ .... .................... ...... ....... 21 References .................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 3: OUTCOMES - 1974 TO 1984............................................. 25 Assessing Effectiveness................................................................... 25 Objectives of Increased Expenditure.. ..... .... ............. ..... ................. ..... 26 Changes in Quality. .......... ..... ...... ............. .................... .... ............ .. 26 Learning Outcomes............... .............. ............. ..... ............. ...... ... 27 Curriculum Changes................................................................... 30 Quality of School Life.............. .......... ........ ............... ...... ....... ..... 34 Teacher Qualifications...... .......... ...... .......................................... 36 Quantity and Coverage of Schooling Provisions.... ... ................................ 36 Educational Qualifications........................................................... 37 Participation in Schooling......... ..... ................................... ...... ..... 39 Participation in Post-school Education................ .............................. 41 Girls' Participation.. ................. ..... ......... ... ...... .................... .•.... 42 Aboriginal Participation. ................ .... .............. ........................... 45 Provision for Handicapped Students........................ ...... .. ................ 46 Participation and Socio-economic Status. ........ ......... ....... ...... ....... ..... 46 Participation and Non-English Speaking Background............................ 46 Services for Isolated Children...... ..... ............. .......................... ...... 47 Participation by Younger Age Groups..... ....................................... .. 47 Selected Commonwealth Policies.............. ............. ............................. 48 Equalizing Resource Inputs..... .............. ..... ................ .................. 48 Participation in Decision Making................. ....................... ....... ..... 48 Other Commonwealth Policies. ................... ... ........................... ..... 49 Summary .................................................................................... 49 References .................................................................................. 50 v Page CHAPTER 4: THE CHANGING CONTEXT.............................................. 52 The Economy.... .............. ......................... ..... ............................... 52 Labour Market for Youth ................................................................. 52 Participation in the Full-time Labour Market...................................... 54 Participation in Part-time Employment.............. ............................... 55 Unskilled Employment................................................................ 57 Future Trends......... ................... ............................................... 57 Impact of Technological Change............. ...... ................................. 57 Implications for Education... ............................................................. 59 Social Changes Affecting Schools....................................................... 60 Impact of Immigration................................................................ 60 Changing Family Structures..................................... ..................... 61 Social Values................................. ...... .................................... 62 Changes in the Educational System...................................................... 62 References .................................................................................. 67 CHAPTER 5: DESIRABLE OUTCOMES..................................... ............ 68 Purposes of Schooling......... ............................................................ 68 Competence. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. 70 General Competences . .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. 70 Other Outcomes ................................................................ 72 Work Place Role....................................................................... 72 Ongoing Education Role.................. ............................................ 74 Community Role....................................................................... 76 Personal Role......... ................... ............................................... 77 Importance of Education................... ......................................... ... ... 78 References .................................................................................. 79 CHAPTER 6: CURRICULUM............................................................... 80 Defining the Curriculum.................................................................. 80 Responsibility for Decisions........................... ..... ......................... 80 Scope of the Curriculum ............ ,........ ........... .......... .... ............... 81 Defining Commonwealth Concerns............................................. ........ 83 Primary and Secondary Schooling................................................... 83 Developing General Competences .................................................. 84 Technological Change................................................................ 85 Curriculum for Girls............................................................. ...... 86 References.......................... ........ ................................... ... ...... 88 CHAPTER 7: CREDENTIALLING ......................................................... 90 Current Methods of Credentialling ...................................................... 90 Reports to Parents. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 Public Certification................................. ..... .............................. 91 A Single Secondary Certificate...................................................... 92 Selection for Higher Education........................................................... 93 Categorization of Subjects............................................................ 93 Forms of Assessment.................................................................