Free Tertiary Education
- Free tertiary education: For 'vocationally oriented' courses. Cost is about $2 Billion per annum, depending on what you call 'vocational'. (i.e. 2/3 of one of the cost of one of the new destroyers we want to cancel here.)
- Increased public research & development: Increasing research grants for projects deemed to be in the public interest.
Higher Standards
Tertiary education is rapidly degenerating into a scam with anyone who pays getting a qualification.
This could be resolved by :
- External exam assessment for all but the largest tertiary institutions. The institution would provide an outline of what will be on the exam but a government agency would set and score the actual exams.
- Ending the link between link between study here and migration assessment.
Free Kindergarden
Kindergarden should be added to the public education system. This can be funded through the abolition of the Baby Bonus and a small part of the multi-billion surplus.
Secondary Funding Based on Need
We oppose the existing funding model for secondary schools that has seen very large grants go to elite private schools while some poorer schools struggle to fund basic services.
Student Bonus Scheme
We propose a bonus scheme that would give out vouchers for 'cool' items to students who have low-income parents. The bonuses would be paid for getting good results and having a cooperative attitude. Hopefully this would encourage disengaged students and help break the cycle of poverty.
Mandatory Testing Results & Funding
Test results should not be used to punish schools that have a higher percentage of struggling students.
Segregated Learning
- Academic: Students that want to attend tertiary education and are prepared to do the work to get there.
- Trade: Students that want to learn a trade and are prepared to do the work required.
- Sport: Students that are not presently interested in perusing learning. The Education System should attempt to keep these students engaged within the system with a sport- based program featuring as much academic / trade educational material as is feasible for these students.
This follows a pragmatic "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink" philosophy. Forcing disinterested students to study academic material leads to a lowering of the overall academic standard as classes get disrupted by the children that just don't want to be there.
Note that acceptance of a student into a particular category is based on what the student wants. It is based on student attitude rather than academic ability or what the student's parents want.
Multi-Class Primary Schooling
Primary education typically provides one main teacher for a grade for the year. This teacher is expected to provide instruction across the bulk of the curriculum.
Providing primary students with several classes:
- Reduces the exposure to the odd low-quality teacher.
- Gives teachers some respite from the more challenging students.
- Allows teachers to specialise in particular subject matter such as maths or English.
- Need not be too disruptive for Primary students if only three classes per day were prescribed: Morning - Recess, Recess - Lunch and Afternoon. Note that the teachers could change classes rather than the students having to move.
Intelligent Design
State Control
This creates clearer lines of accountability and reduces blame-shifting.