Education
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Why the Productivity Commission is kidding itself on childcare
A more robust analysis by the commission might have yielded different priorities or recommendations for childcare. Continue reading »
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Australia’s school system: winners and losers?
In a school system so deeply segregated along class and cultural lines it is not hard to identify the losers. But the question is whether there are any real winners? Continue reading »
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Anti-Palestinian discrimination in NSW public schools
Over 4000 people have signed a petition in three days, calling for an apology for a student who was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald to have been banned from attending his Year 12 formal for wearing a keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf) at his graduation. The student is from a Palestinian background, and the scarf is Continue reading »
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In defence of public education
Over the last 10,000 years or so societies have evolved from relatively simple and loosely structured groups of people to the complex entities of the present nation-states (and even a nascent world society), but in this time period the human being, as an organism, has not changed significantly. So, what has changed? Continue reading »
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Should the Commonwealth get out of schooling?
Lyndsay Connors (Pearls and Irritations, 14 November 2024) takes issue with my argument that the Commonwealth should get out or be pushed out of schooling. Continue reading »
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Australia’s school system has lost its moorings
Lack of leadership by successive Australian governments has created a rift between rhetoric and reality that has played a part in eroding public confidence and trust in our school system and generating anxiety for families, teachers and students. Continue reading »
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One cheer for student loan changes
As you may have noticed, the Government has announced changes to student loans and debts, subject (eyeroll) to their re-election. Tick; even the Greens are taking credit. Continue reading »
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Josef Stiglitz and national productivity: the need for a new TAFE
When Nobel economists Joseph Stiglitz recently said that Australia’s future prosperity is tied to us acting to become a “Knowledge Economy” there was subdued muttering of the “Fee Free TAFE” mantra from a few Labor federal parliamentarians. This was followed by multi-party total inaction. Could it be that our federal political leaders, who have been Continue reading »
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A controversial graduation address
On Monday, October 21st, Joe de Bruyn, trade union heavyweight, former National President of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, former member of the National Executive of the Australian Labor Party, committed Catholic, was awarded an honorary doctorate at the Australian Catholic University. As is customary, he was also invited to deliver the occasional Continue reading »
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Changes to tertiary education funding fail to remedy “stupid inequity” of Morrison era
The changes to Tertiary Education funding announced by the Prime Minister last weekend, mostly benefit former students. Arguably there are other higher priorities to restore the funding of higher education and remove anomalies in the fees charged. Continue reading »
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The Queensland elections and the youth crime crisis
“The basic facts about youth crime in Australia, including Queensland, is that the number of young people getting into trouble with police has been going down every year.” – Ross Homel, Foundation Professor in Criminology, Griffith University. Continue reading »
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Private schools’ opportunist attempt to lock-in over-funding
Private schools have seized on an opportunity provided by an Amendment Bill before the Parliament to attempt to lock-in billions in Commonwealth over-funding for years to come. Continue reading »
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Lessons for Hong Kong from Australia’s remarkable international education sector
One crucial policy initiative outlined by Hong Kong’s chief executive, John Lee Ka-chiu, in his latest annual Policy Address is the project to establish the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as an international tertiary education hub. Continue reading »
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Jason Clare is wrong on net migration and student caps
In a speech at the Australian Education International (AEI) conference, Education Minister Jason Clare is reported to have told the audience that student caps will help with “the government’s ambitions to get immigration levels back to pre-pandemic levels, including international student numbers”. Continue reading »
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Labor’s amendments to the Education Act fail to ensure full funding of Public Schools
The Labor Government‘s proposed amendments to the Australian Education Act fail in their goal to provide “a pathway to full and fair funding for all schools”. Continue reading »
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Teachers have a right to show solidarity with Palestinians
Gaza has been flattened by Israeli attacks. Ninety per cent of schools have been damaged, or destroyed. Two thirds of schools, 285 of them, have been completely destroyed. All universities have been destroyed. The United Nations has called Israel’s deliberate targeting of Gaza’s education infrastructure, scholasticide. Continue reading »
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Beyond the rankings: Benchmarking for real university success
It’s ranking season again, and universities are once more fixated on their positions in global league tables. These rankings, such as those from Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings, often shape decisions for students and funders alike. While an institution’s rise in the rankings can be celebrated as a success, a drop can Continue reading »
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International students in Australia raise their voice in NSW politics
International Student activists succeeded in passing anti-transport discrimination motions at Transport Minister Jo Haylen’s Summer Hill Branch. Continue reading »
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Australia’s school system: Entitlement vs need
While government rhetoric about the school system favours need, the way the system works tips the balance in favour of entitlement. Continue reading »
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While you weren’t looking: Meeting China in Sydney
While elsewhere the China discourse in the Australian media may have been on geopolitical tensions and defence and security concerns, community leaders, students and academics from seven universities in Australia and 15 universities in China and Taiwan met in Parramatta. Continue reading »
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Universities under attack
What are we to make of Peter Dutton’s outrageous demand that Mark Scott, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, should resign? Continue reading »
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We can resist the US military empire that threatens us all
Australia has always been aligned with military empires: first the British Empire and now that of the USA. In the current era this alignment is misguided. Continue reading »
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Do we need universities?
Australian universities are starved of funds and forced to operate as commercial entities focused on profit, not the pursuit of knowledge. Continue reading »
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Australia’s school system: losing common ground
The law locks up the man or woman who steals the goose from off the common; but leaves the greater villain loose who steals the common from the goose. Continue reading »
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Campus protests: A view from a seasoned observer
A letter sent by the author to Mark Scott, vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney, after he apologised during a Senate hearing for not cracking down on alleged anti-Semitism during protests on the university campus in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Continue reading »
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The road to hell is paved with good intentions: Do not ban social media for kids
Social media platforms allow users to interact with others, have conversations, share information and create web content. There are many forms, including games, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, photo-sharing sites, instant messaging, video-sharing sites, podcasts, widgets, virtual worlds, and more. So, with the government considering a ban on social media for children where do we Continue reading »
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Universities: dead, buried and cremated?
Adelaide University’s move to eliminate face-to-face lectures removes another essential component of a proper university. On top of corporatisation and with AI rapidly intruding there will be very little of the essence of a university left. Continue reading »
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Abstract: The Australian Higher Education Industry: a financial profile
It now seems clear that Australian universities have relied too heavily on international student income as a significant financial cushion. This revenue has also created substantial wealth in some institutions, with net asset holdings now at record levels. For many other smaller institutions, it has been the lifeline for sustainability. Continue reading »
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Damned lies and school statistics… again
The Australian Education Union has compared public funding going to private schools with amounts going to similar government schools. Its revelations are alarming and should be game-changing. One private school peak group has cried foul, but the union is on the money. So what should happen next? Continue reading »
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Antisemitism and our universities
In today’s papers the Education Minister Jason Clare announced the decision to appoint a new National Student Ombudsman who will combat anti-Semitism at Australia Universities. He explained that Jewish students “don’t feel safe at university” and that it was obvious that antisemitism was a serious problem at tertiary institutions. Continue reading »
