Holden: Editorial

ediToRial Australia has a new Commonwealth Minister for Schools, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. The newly titled portfolio splits school education and higher education. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on 11 Septem- fasT facTs Quick QuiZ ber that Chris Evans would be her Min- Top ranking Australian university in 1. Did Brontosaurus hang out in ister for Jobs, Skills and Workplace Rela- 2010, measured in terms of research swamps because it was too weak to quality and citation counts, graduate carry its own weight since it couldn’t tions. By 14 September, he’d become employability and teaching quality: chew enough food to fuel itself? Minister for Jobs, Skills, Workplace Australian National University at 20th, 2. Who won this year’s Aurecon Bridge Relations and Tertiary Education. down three places from 17th last year. Building Competition? Garrett and Evans will be assisted by Second ranked: University of Sydney at 3. What weight did the winning bridge Jacinta Collins as Parliamentary Secre- 37th, down from equal 36th last year. carry? Third ranked: University of Melbourne at 4. Can you use a school building fund to tary for Education, Employment and 38th, down from equal 36th last year. pay for running expenses? Workplace Relations. Garrett inherits Fourth: University of Queensland at 43rd, 5. Can you offer a scholarship or bur- responsibility for the as-yet unfi nished down from 41st last year. sary to people other than Australian $16.2 billion Building the Education Fifth: University of New South Wales at citizens or permanent residents? 46, up from equal 47th last year. 6. Can you offer a scholarship or bur- Revolution program. If education policy Sixth: Monash University at 61st, down sary only to students at a particular has in the past been formed in cabinet, from 45th last year. school? we can now expect the independent Seventh: University of Western Australia 7. Can you offer a scholarship or bur- members of parliament (MPs) – Rob at 89th, down from 84th last year. sary to a group of students? Eighth: University of Adelaide at 103rd, 8. Who is the chair of the Common- Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Andrew down from 81st last year. wealth review of funding for Wilkie – to have some infl uence. Top 10: Cambridge; Harvard; Yale; schools? Oakeshott, in his maiden speech in 2008, University College London; 9. What did Jessica Nairn, principal of spoke of ‘the critical need for improve- Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dickson College, discover in a store- Oxford; Imperial College London; room? ments to general standards of education Chicago; California Institute of 10. Are there any bids yet for Bonga throughout (his) region’ and ‘lifting Technology; Princeton. Binga Small Good School’s unfi red retention rates within the region.’ dinosaur fi gures made by the Year 3s Source: Quacquarelli Symonds 2010 World

Windsor told ABC Radio AM’s Tony University Rankings in 1951?

Eastley his support for the Gillard minor- no. 10. paintings; bark

maintaining school or college buildings; 5. no; 6. no; 7. yes; 8. David Gonski; 9. a ‘treasure trove’ of ‘extremely valuable’ Aboriginal Aboriginal valuable’ ‘extremely of trove’ ‘treasure a 9. Gonski; David 8. yes; 7. no; 6. no; 5. buildings; college or school maintaining ity government ‘puts country Australia or constructing acquiring, for solely used be may fund building school a no, 4. kilograms; 100.6 3. NSW; Newcastle, Adamstown,

in a very, very important position.’ in School High X Pius St 2. bird; a like gizzard, a had it because it chew to have didn’t but food, of heaps ate it no, 1. Answers: Wilkie – a former Green – has vowed to ‘approach every policy on its merits.’ adveRTiseR of The MonTh Speaking of the Greens, Green MP Adam Bandt’s support for the Gillard minority government is critical, and of course the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate from July 2011. The Greens want equitable Commonwealth funding for public and private schools, smaller class sizes, more funding for professional development, no performance-based pay and free university education. Peter Garrett and Chris Evans, not to mention the PM, will have their work cut out. T

Produced4 teacher by the october Australian 2010 Council for Educational Research (ACER), 2010 1