Education 2000

Submission on "Education 2000" to the Queensland Minister for Education

1. SUMMARY

The Key Issues for Business

1.1 ENVIRONMENT

Australia has to make adjustments of some significance in order to cope with anticipated changes in the economic and social environment in which it will be operating by the year 2000.

Most concerns relate to international developments which will impact on the nation's economy and hence our standard of living.  A progressive loss of position in the world ranking, in terms of living standards, needs to be halted and reversed.

Internally, changes are needed to raise productivity through having --

• A more skilled workforce
• Flexible, harmonious industrial relations
• Effective relations with nations with which we will be trading

All these requirements are impacted critically by education strategy.

1.2 BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NEEDS

Improved productivity of new recruits is important now.  It will continue to be a vital concern for industry and commerce into the 21st century.  Success in this area is part of the urgently needed change that is required to halt the down trend in Australia's national living standards.

The existence of a range of objectives for the education system is acknowledged.  However, in the light of international and economic realities facing us now and in the coming decades, more emphasis will need to be placed on improving effectiveness in the work situation.

Any education plan has to recognise that the ultimate aim of education at any stage is to produce a useful individual -- motivated as well as skilled -- in our society.  Cultural considerations, and concepts based on education programs to suit the needs of education -- the means rather than the end -- have to be placed in the context of the goal that the nation has for the education process:  to produce productive people.

Communication, selling and negotiation skills need to be developed in all students to a greater extent than is now the case.

1.3 EDUCATION ISSUES

Further review and debate is needed on --

• Orientation of early phases of schooling (P-3 and 4-10) to long term goals
• Curriculum development
• Cost effectiveness
• State and non-state education systems
• Development of senior colleges and impact on the TAFE sector
• Entry to tertiary institutions
• Acceptance of students in post compulsory years
• Communication between teachers and business people
• Work experience for teachers as part of their professional development

2. SPECIFIC PROPOSALS

2.1 SUBJECT MATTER

1. Students should be encouraged to undertake learning which improves employability.  Programs need to be developed to facilitate this action.  The key points include keyboard skills, sales skills, and familiarity with the operations of business.

2. Students should be encouraged to learn a language in combination with a technical or commercial skill.

3. Most streams need to teach students how to negotiate.  This capacity would have a significant impact on the future industrial culture, because negotiation is part and parcel of everyday business.

4. As a longer term task, we should encourage the development of learning processes which achieve heightened problem solving capacity in our future workforce.

2.2 ORGANISATION

1. The process needs to focus less on university entrance and more on the "middle group" of students.  We need to direct attention away from the TE score for most secondary school students, towards preparation for continuing effective employment.

2. Students should be refused places in school, especially in Grades 11 and 12, where they do not want to learn, or disrupt the learning of other students, or direct teaching resources away from more highly motivated students.

3. The TAFE system should have a greater facility to train individuals in some callings, full time and without an indenture by issuing certificates of competency on completion of the courses or traineeships.  This facility should exist as an alternative stream to indentured "block release" or other training to trade and technical certificate standard.  Obviously, some combination of facilities, personnel and programs should be achievable.

4. It should be made possible for post compulsory study programs to allow selection of course units from both TAFE and senior college offerings, towards final qualifications.

5. The final plan needs to take into account the apparent advantages to the nation from maintaining competition through parallel operation of state and non-state education systems.

2.3 UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

It is vital that student expectations are prepared for employment.  This cannot be achieved in the last few years of school or college.  Understanding of business has to be part of the curriculum and structure of education, beginning in the "4-10" phase at least.

It should be possible to have this understanding inculcated into students while maintaining reasonable standards for both social development of individuals and conduct of the education process itself.

It is essential that students in the compulsory school years understand the commercial and economic environment in which they live -- the "profit" motive, the market system, the need to trade, and all that these mean.

2.4 RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

1. The system needs to allow and encourage work experience, for students and teachers.  Perhaps for teachers provision can be made for breaks from teaching to be provided for work in industry or commerce, without loss of continuity of service and related benefits.

2. Leaders in education and business need to identify and action other ways in which teachers can gain and maintain contact with the realities and needs of industry, to maximise overall national productivity.

3. SCOPE OF SUBMISSION

The submission focuses primarily on what we should be seeking to achieve from education in the 21st century, by identifying

1. The likely major economic and social influences on Australia in 2000, and
2. The needs of business from its workforce -- the "product" of the education process -- to meet the evident challenges and opportunities.

The submission does not claim to be exhaustive.  The bulk of comments and proposals have developed from preparation for and debate in business/teacher workshops.  It reflects a strong interest among teachers who attend the workshops to maximise the likelihood of their students being successful in gaining employment on leaving school.  Other inputs represent views of the author which are put forward for consideration.  These views come from an evident need among employers to gain improved productivity from recruits coming into industry and commerce from the education system.

The submission takes into account the recent major studies on related matters which have been issued in Australia.  In regard to the environment in which the year 2000 will find Australia, the recently published reports from CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) and other sources were consulted.

Some of the concepts raised in the discussion paper "Education 2000" are discussed.

A brief comment is made relating to the on-going process of clarifying goals and strategies for the Queensland education system, following on the publication of "Education 2000".

4. AUSTRALIA IN THE YEAR 2000

4.1 GLOBAL ISSUES

1. Outline

   We believe that the global issues which will influence the environment in the year 2000 will be --

   • Growing national interdependence
   • US-Soviet relations
   • Third World Debt
   • Demographic change
   • New technology
   • Protectionism/trade wars
   • Slow growth, unemployment, and social pressures
   
   

   Some comments follow on the economic factors

   
   

2. Trade

   Interdependence comes from increased world trade.  Without this trade, whole nations cannot maintain their standards of living.  This is a key point for Australia and particularly for Queensland, because it is vital to the interests of exporters -- the mining and rural industries in particular -- and tourism and finance sectors.  Movements of currency between nations have similar effects.

   
   

3. Demographic Change

   Since World War II we have lived in a period of great development which largely has been generated to meet the consumer demands of a burgeoning population.  In reviewing the situation now, it is appropriate to note the effect of different rates of growth.  Ten years ago the world's population was growing at a rate (1.9%) that would double in 35 years -- today this growth has slowed to a rate (1.7%) that will double in 40 years.  The differences in growth rates around the world continue to emphasise the changing balances of east-west and north-south.

   Table 1 -- Rates of Growth

   COUNTRY/ REGION	APPROX. ANNUAL RATE % PA	YEARS TO DOUBLE
   China	1.1	60
   Africa	2.5	30
   West Europe	0.1-0.5	-
   Australia	1.3	50
   World	1.7	40

   
   

   Most importantly, the population growth rate in the so-called "rich" countries is half of that of the so-called "poor" countries -- a complete inversion of the ratio that existed in 1900.

   
   

4. Technology

   Improving technology has always been a feature of the manufacturing sectors of the developed economies.  Although employment in this sector in developed countries has diminished, particularly in the 1970's, the application of technology to manufacturing enabled productivity increases that led to economic growth.  In turn that growth led to increased demand and hence new employment opportunities in the tertiary sector.

   The apparent decline in job numbers in the manufacturing sectors of the developed countries also owes much to the fact that many of these industries have become un-competitive.  Korea, Taiwan and Singapore for example, were able to establish sizeable manufacturing sectors simply because they were more competitive than similar industries in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom, and more recently, in Japan.

   What some regard as the de-industrialisation of the developed west, is not just the result of the introduction of technology, but of the normal operation of the market.

   
   

5. Effect on Australia

   For Australia, the trends can have one of two effects in time.

   1. If national productivity increases at a sufficient rate, then the nation can compete successfully in a tight but huge market.  In this event the nation should mature into an economy with an increasing service sector, which is allowed to thrive because of an underpinning provided through efficient primary and secondary industries.
   2. The alternative involves a continued loss of living standards, with the long term threat of vulnerability to some form of takeover from outside.

4.2 ISSUES INFLUENCING AUSTRALIA

1. Outline

   For Australia, there are four main issues which will determine how we will be when we arrive in the 21st century:

   • Poor economic performance, with growing unemployment, particularly among our youth, and our living standards falling behind by comparison with many other countries
   • The ageing of the community, with more old people in the community, and greater pension burdens on fewer tax-payers.
   • Serious inflexibility in industrial relations, and
   • The growth of Pacific basin nations and Australia's part in this development.
   
   

2. Economic Performance

   Unemployment trends are well demonstrated by the following statistics from the U.N. Statistical Year Books and monthly bulletin of statistics.

   Table 2 -- Rate of Unemployment (Percent)

   (June)	AUSTRALIA	U.S.A.	U.K.	JAPAN	SWEDEN	CANADA
   1965	1.4	4.5	1.5	0.8	1.2	3.9
   1970	1.7	4.9	2.6	1.2	1.4	5.9
   1975	4.9	8.5	4.1	1.9	1.4	6.9
   1980	6.1	7.1	7.3	2.0	2.0	7.5
   1984	8.9	7.4	12.6	2.7	2.7	10.7

   
   

   The increase for Australia was larger than for each of the other countries apart from the United Kingdom.

   Living standard trends are best demonstrated in figures extracted from a CEDA report. ⁽⁸⁾

   In terms of rate of growth of GNP per capita, Australia's position has declined significantly.  In the trade environment in which we will be operating in the coming decades, several Asian countries can be expected to maintain higher rates of growth relative to Australia, unless we reverse the trend.  This is another reason for focussing the education system more on attitudes and effectiveness than has been the case.

   Table 3 -- Real Product Per Capita Relative to the U.S.A.
   (USA = 100 IN EACH CASE)

   	1950	1960	1970	1980
   Australia	81	81	77	76
   United Kingdom	56	65	64	65
   Switzerland	67	84	87	80
   France	47	61	75	84
   Germany	40	71	79	86
   United States	100	100	100	100
   Japan	17	33	64	72
   Taiwan	10	13	20	31
   Singapore	N/A	20	32	40
   South Korea	N/A	12	17	25

   Source:  R. Summers and A. Heston, improved international comparisons of real
   product and its composition:  1950-1980.  Review of income and wealth 1984.

   
   

3. Demographic Changes and Pension Costs

   The extent to which Australia "ages" will really become marked after the year 2010.  However, by 2001, the potential exists for a substantial increase in the burden of pension costs borne by individual taxpayers.  The CEDA/DIEA study ⁽¹²⁾ predicted the following changes in "aged dependency" -- as defined:

   Table 4 -- Dependency Ratio, 1983 and 2001, Selected Migration Scenarios
   (CEDA/DIEA Study)

   	AGED DEPENDENCY*
   1983	19.21
   2001: NET MIGRATION GAIN:   ZERO   100,000   200,000	23.42 21.99 19.28

   
   

   * Males aged 65 years and over plus females aged 60 years and over per 100 males aged 15 to 64 plus 100 females aged 15 to 59 years.

   Source:  Calculated from CEDA/DIEA unpublished population projections.

   
   

   We recently publicised longer term predictions: ⁽¹³⁾

   The implication is clear.  Without having a relatively high rate of immigration in the period to the year 2000, the potential tax-payers burden of pension and related costs will increase significantly by the year 2000.  The actual cost increase involved will depend on the extent to which the federal government encourages private saving for retirement in the intervening period.

   There is the likelihood of this demographic factor being a significant cause of pressure for additional contributions from the productive sector of the economy.  It is a major motive for efforts to maximise workforce productivity now and in the future.  This means that the emerging workforce, and the "system" in which it operates, have to become more productive than they are now.  If not, then this factor alone will cause a loss in standard of living.  What is important is the long time involved in adjustment.  Japan, for example, is already building up funds to cope with retirement of the post war "baby boom" group early in the 21st century.

   Table 5 -- Population Changes 1985-2020

   Age Bracket	Estimated Increase 1985-2020 '000s	% Increase compared to 1985	valign="bottom"% of "all ages" increase
   All Ages (ie total)	5799.1	+   36.8%	100.0%
   0-14 yrs	308.7	+     8.3%	5.3%
   15-24 yrs	148.3	+     5.6%	2.6%
   25-44 yrs	969.8	+   20.4%	16.7%
   45-64 yrs	2585.7	+   86.4%	44.6%
   65 & +	1786.6	+ 110.8%	30.8%
   65-74	1016.2	+ 100.9%
   75-84	503.9	+ 103.8%
   85 & +	266.5	+ 222.8%

   (Source:  Australia's Population Trends -- DIEA, 1984)

   
   

   AGE DEPENDENCY RATIOS
   Number of Workforce Age:  Dependent Aged

   Year	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021	2041
   D.R.	4.5:1	4.4:1	4.4:1	3.9:1	3.1:1	2.5:1(E)

   (Source:  Derived from Table 1, The Impact of Population
   Changes on Social Expenditure -- SWPS, Jan. 1984)

   
   

4. Industrial Concerns

   A recent paper by Alan Henderson of A.N.U., ⁽¹⁰⁾ compared the Australian and Japanese labour markets.  The paper reported that the Australian system was much more rigid than that of Japan, and it identified a number of reasons for the differences.  The paper attributed higher unemployment in Australia to rigidity.  A number of authors and speakers have made similar points in recent years.

   Leaving aside the militancy or otherwise of the union movement, its organisation by occupation rather than by industry has made change much harder to achieve in the past.  It means that Australia is poorly prepared in one vitally important respect to maximise the benefits of future and more dramatic technological change.  Future education arrangements need to provide as much as possible for demarcation issues and similar barriers to productivity to be overcome and rendered insignificant in coming years.

   At the root cause of the problem is our already anachronistic and legalistic system for the resolution of industrial problems and the setting of wage levels and on-costs.  Changing away from this system requires a major upgrading in conflict resolution and problem solving skills within the workforce.  This should be a major task for education.

   The key to future economic growth effectively lies in the level of acceptance of technological change by the Australian workforce.  Rigidity and inflexibility in industrial relations are not compatible with achieving the change we need.  The education system can help.

   
   

5. Prospects

   Our prospects for "getting into shape" are mixed.

   On the positive side it should be recognised that there is unlikely to be a complete economic upheaval.  The effect on each sector of the economy will be different.  The world will continue to need growing quantities of our agricultural and mineral products as long as they are competitively priced, and that should provide the nation with some stability in export earnings.  However, substantial changes need to occur in our manufacturing and tertiary sectors where direct employment concentrations are the heaviest.

   This does not mean that any industry can be complacent.  The current plight of the sugar industry is a result of expansion by protected, relatively inefficient producers in Europe, among other reasons.  There is need to recognise that maintenance of national living standards will be a battle, and that battle has started already.  Trade in coal, metals and sugar provides a current example of the changes that are involved.  In other sectors of the economy the effect of world competition is not often as apparent, being submerged in the larger population centres.  All the same, the pressures here are potentially severe.

   The experience of the late 1960's and 1970's has shown that we can adapt.  For example, our economy adjusted well to the change in markets for traditional primary products.  We changed our major trading partners and became much more aware of our role in the East Asia region.  But in spite of this, our progress has been slow.  It has been far too slow compared to many other countries and it has been patently inadequate particularly when the magnitude of the task ahead is considered.

   Since the middle of the 1970's numerous reports by the OECD and more recently by the European Management Forum, have indicated that Australia's standard of living has been falling relatively and that the pace of that decline has been accelerating.

   Although based on somewhat different criteria, these assessments have a number of issues in common.  Specifically, they point to (1) our lack of outward orientation and (2) our rigid industrial relations system as the major barriers to improving our economic performance.  Our outward orientation is improving.  The effect of the recession has taught us that much.  Further change is needed, however.  The education system needs to develop attitudes in people that more fully grasp the relationship between Australia and the rest of the world, in practical terms.  Understanding of cultures and languages of other countries, especially Asian countries, needs to be an important concern of education for the year 2000.

   
   

6. Urgency

   It is instructive to ask what a child or student now will think about the "system" in 20 years time.  If they've been part of the 25% of our 17-21 year age group which are unemployed then they may not have a lot of commitment to the system we have now.  They will be a significant part of the electorate by that time.

4.3 CONCLUSIONS

The industrial issue is the most important but there are other steps that can be taken to increase our economic flexibility.  For example, the move by the Federal Government, aimed at deregulating our financial system, is a positive move.  Further deregulation of business and a reduction in the demands of government are essential if we are to gain the flexibility that this new environment will demand.

In relation to "Education 2000", it is apparent that we need to set up the education system to contribute the most towards achieving productivity gains in the community in the coming years, so as to arrest and reverse the adverse trends that have been described.  The challenge is real and urgent.  It should do this by helping students to understand our economy and its operation.

5. BUSINESS NEEDS AND LIKELY CHANGES BY THE YEAR 2000

5.1 GENERAL

The following comments related specifically to persons recruited to industry and commerce from the education system.

Our broad concerns related to productivity and cost effectiveness of recruits.  The nation's standard of living in the year 2000 will be very much determined by the success of organisations which do have to match world standards for profitable performance.  These are the exporting industries, particularly mining and agriculture, and enterprises which compete with overseas sources, through import competition or some other mechanism -- tourism and manufacturing in particular.  However, developments in data transmission and robotics are likely to open new frontiers in Australia, with previously protected industries coming under pressure from alternative sources overseas.

The nett effect of the test of those industries which compete in the world arena will appear

1. in the value accorded to the Australian dollar in the world market.
2. the rate of inflation in Australia, and
3. the level of unemployment

These are the key factors in determining the national standard of living.  To achieve this the private sector will need to be backed by a supportive, efficient, export oriented and motivated public sector.

Where the nation's economy runs will depend very much on the success or otherwise of the marginal firm -- an enterprise which is just surviving.  While other factors such as taxation and bureaucracy come into the equation, for educators the issue will be the productivity of individuals hired into work by these marginal firms.

(Of course this concept applies in a broad sense to all employees in all firms, in terms of impact on national productivity and living standards).

It is acknowledged that the education system has a number of objectives, one of which is to provide education that produces a "well rounded" individual.  However the urgency of the economic realities that we face makes it imperative that basic priorities for education adapt to meet the challenge.

Also it is necessary to leave aside the complication that arises from questioning the time frame for which people are being educated to be productive -- on leaving school or over a lifetime, and social concerns which also have a place in the debate.  (This is covered in the "Blackburn" Report). ⁽³⁾  Otherwise the key issue would be lost, namely that without national productivity gains the finer points -- quality of life, life time education, and so on -- become academic because we will never rise to the position where most Australians will be able to realise their ambitions to any significant extent.

It is not just the economic reality that should drive change in education.  The fact is that in individuals, self esteem is strongly tied to having a job.  A common "problem" of unemployed people is low self esteem.  Education can change to help people more readily gain and keep a job.

5.2 BASIC SKILLS

Consider an employee being hired to work in an office or a business, from Year 10, Year 12, or from TAFE.

Here a person may need to cope with a number of different roles and tasks.  In larger organisations, more specialisation is possible, but automation of routine tasks means that even here the situation is changing.  Some activities are:

• Customer enquiry/service
• Cash book, accounts
• Scheduling, appointments
• Supplies, ordering
• Administration, records, filing
• Security, audit
• Emergency -- fire/accident

Not all of these activities are learned at school.  Customer relations, dealing with enquiries or complaints, and effective selling in particular, are important abilities.

Skills required of individuals include:

• Knowledge
• Productivity
• Courtesy
• Sales ability (persuasiveness)
• Flexibility
• Energy
• Organisation

Education cannot directly influence, for example, the level of energy shown by an individual moving from "education" to "employment".  However even here the attitude to work -- a key factor in gaining maximum contributions from people in employment (or in their own business) is vitally dependent on the messages given to students during their years at school and afterwards.  The school "culture" needs to prepare people to be productive in the economy, and it is not just the curriculum detail which determines the result.

In addition, there is a question as to what is "vocational" learning.  It is not possible, given the extent and urgency of the changes that are needed in our society, to arbitrarily define some skills as being unrelated to the "4-10" phase of education in particular.

5.3 KEYBOARD AND COMPUTER SKILLS

It is appropriate to elaborate on the keyboard skill.  Keyboard training will be of value to most people in the coming decades.  This is because whether we like it or not, we will all be interfacing with computer systems, and keyboards provide that interface in most situations.  In addition to a typing/keyboard skill, however, it is expected that all school students will have had a period of familiarisation with computer systems, so that they are prepared to cope with and adapt to the particular system encountered in their work situation.

5.4 TECHNOLOGY

Aspects of technology development already appearing are:

• Communications (Facsimile, electronic mail),
• Data retrieval, and
• Robotics

The range will continue to expand.  The education system will need to prepare the future workforce to adapt and cope with the changes that will take place, in many cases in ways that have not yet been conceived or developed.  This point is lucidly made by Alvin Tofler in his book "The Third Wave".

In this connection it is the development of the capacity to solve problems that is needed in the long run, so that in the future the products of our education system can cope with specific situations which do not even exist now.

5.5 TERTIARY TRAINING PRIORITIES

1. Sciences

   We believe that there will be increased emphasis towards the science and engineering disciplines in the coming decade.  There will be possibly be less unemployment in these disciplines than there will be in the ranks of graduates in the fine arts and other areas, where a contribution is not immediately visible towards national productivity.

   It is instructive to compare figures on participation in tertiary engineering studies for Australia with those of some other countries, in terms of the percentage of total population.

   
   

   Table 7 -- Tertiary Engineering Students
   (1981, Except USA -- 1982 Biannual Report)

   COUNTRY	POPULATION (MILLIONS)	TERTIARY ENGINEERING STUDENTS (THOUSANDS)	STUDENTS AS % OF TOTAL POPULATION (%)
   Australia	14.9	24.2	0.16
   Canada	24.2	79.6	0.33
   Japan	117.7	393.3	0.33
   Sweden	8.3	52.1	0.63
   United Kingdom	55.8	151.7	0.27
   United States	229.8	1229.0	1.53

   SOURCE:  UNESCO 1984 STATISTICAL YEAR BOOK

   
   

   Clearly, Australia is lagging the other countries in this key area.

   
   

2. Languages

   It is essential that knowledge of the languages and cultures of the nations with which we trade becomes more wide spread in the community.  However it is vital that language skills should be combined with competence in some technological or commercial field.

   This need has to be addressed at an early stage of schooling.  Why shouldn't each primary and secondary school select a country and its language, which it covered in relative detail, so that students were able to become familiar with another culture and another language, to a greater extent than they do now?

5.6 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND RELATED NEEDS

A further qualification relates to communication and marketing.  As a nation we do not appear to communicate or sell as effectively as people in some other cultures.  This "social" skill will need to be emphasised in the coming years, again in combination with a technical or commercial strand.

Negotiation techniques can be taught.  This knowledge can have a significant positive impact on the effectiveness of individuals in business and social situations.

Leadership and supervisory skills can also be taught.  For example behaviour modelling processes exist which allow learning how to:

• Assign a task
• Compliment for good performance
• Analyse a behaviour problem
• Counsel for performance below standard

Developments in this area, built into the education process -- for all students and not just for a minority -- would, in a few years, have a major positive influence on the work environment and industrial relations climate.  Business and employment in 2000 will need a higher standard of interpersonal skills, among other improvements in workforce productivity.  Why can't the process of learning these skills be integrated into a modern curriculum?

6. EDUCATION ISSUES

6.1 EARLY EDUCATION

The P-3 concept, as outlined in "Education 2000", is endorsed in principle.  The arguments of the early education reform group, which appear to accord with the "Education 2000" outline, have a logical basis.  It is noted that a key feature of the plan would involve progress through this sector being at a rate determined by achievement and not age.  With this process, individual readiness and maturation would be the determinants of progress.

The benefit, which is understood to be predicted from pilot studies, would be from a reduction in the number of illiterate students turning up in later years, requiring remedial resources and diversion of teaching staff from normal work priorities.

The P-3 area cannot be insulated entirely from long term goals for education.  In section 5.5.2 a proposal for language skill development could well apply to this sector.  Also why couldn't the P-3 group be exposed to the broad concepts of business, albeit in an elementary form?  We will need to ensure that the (long term) goal of the P-3 stage is just as firmly identified as production of efficient contributors to the nation's economic well-being, even if this is only identifiable in degree and detail rather than in the basic structure.

6.2 "4-10":  PRINCIPLES

Irrespective of the level of education, some basic skills are necessary for individuals to be able to work productively in an organisation, and for that matter, in society.  It is believed necessary that these fundamental skills should be covered, at least in part in the "4-10" phase of school, for these reasons -

• Some people will leave school at Year 10 (in the main because of limited interest in or ability for further education) and want employment.  These people have an important part to play in society.  Their productivity is equally important as that of other groups in the education system.  Jobs for this group may involve minimal preparation past elementary communication and computation, but they will require basic skills all the same.
• For those students remaining in the education stream after Grade 10, without some preparation for work in these years, no amount of orientation and skills training in the post compulsory years will generate the attitude of mind, viewing work positively and confidently, that a long period of grooming and development will achieve.
• Employment is the "end" to which education is the "means", even though purists in education may not always wish to acknowledge this.
• The nation cannot afford to do otherwise.

6.3 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

It is unfortunate to note that a common complaint from teachers in business/teacher workshop discussions is that the curriculum is out of date, with out-moded information being specified.  This was particularly apparent in economics (in regard to changes in the finance industry) and in commercial studies (in regard to technological changes affecting equipment and techniques).

"Education 2000" implies that there could be a radical change in the area of curriculum development, through proposing the creation of a new organisation, apparently in place of the Board of Secondary School Studies.  Whatever the outcome, it will be imperative that the final arrangement achieves flexibility in changing the content of curricula.  This is not support for changing the process frequently, but content, the material that is required coverage in courses.

Irrespective of the exact mechanism that is developed for our future education system, the developments will be of little value if the mechanism for curriculum changes block progress.  It has to be assumed that the department will give appropriate priority to ensuring that the organisation that is responsible for syllabus and curriculum guideline development has a clear understanding of the need to keep its "products" up to date.  The composition of this organisation could well perhaps benefit from industry participation.  After all, the education system's expertise is in process, not content.

6.4 COST EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATION

As a source of taxation revenue, the private sector has to expect productivity to be maintained and improved in the education sector.  Therefore any move in the education field has to be based on some measure of value.  Cost/benefit criteria would be best, though it is noted that the Karmel Report emphasised standards.

There would be merit in comparing Queensland's education sector with that of other states, and other nations, in terms of use of

• Human and capital resources
• Pay and hours, and
• Factors that allow some perspective gained on efficiency.

6.5 COMPETITION IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

A distinctive feature of education in Australia is the presence of choice through co-existence of state and non-state systems.  When public sector growth and productivity is coming under increasingly critical review, it is of advantage to educators -- and to the nation -- to retain and encourage the continuation of competition.

This has particular bearing on the implications of integrating TAFE and advanced college activities more closely than at present into school systems.  If competition is to be maintained, will that mean that there should be independent technical colleges or advanced colleges of education responsive to the market?  Would it also mean that self funding may be established under such a plan?

The plan does not appear to address the major structural issue in relation to the role of non-state education and how it should participate in any agreed changes.

The further debate on "Education 2000" needs to address the issues of

• Diversity
• Freedom of choice
• Avoidance of duplication
• Flexibility in the types of institutions
• Guidance

6.6 COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN EDUCATION AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Business is conscious of the gap that exists between teaching and industry, albeit to a much lesser extent than may be the case in the southern states.  In part this schism is a result of the process of producing teachers -- from school to university to teachers college to school -- which has little connection with industry and commerce in many individual situations.  (See also the Karmel Report, sections 10.20 and 10.27-10.29) ⁽⁵⁾

The Teacher Development Process

Also there are vastly differing viewpoints, with teachers possibly having a distorted perception of industry leaders.  ("Long lunches and subordinates to do the work")

And the reverse, of teachers by people in business.  ("9-3 days and 12 weeks/year leave")

The reality is that both common perceptions are wrong.  Certainly the attitudes of individuals from each group in the business/teacher workshops has shown heightened understanding of the realities in both sectors.  One of the greatest contributions from the workshops has come from teachers, who have to cope with repeating each year the wearing process of dealing with today's youth, realising that they have a vital role to play in moulding the attitudes and productivity of people in the nation in the year 2000.

We need to address the issue in two ways -

• More Communication

  Raising the level of communication between the two sectors.  Options include

  • Having more business/teacher workshops or equivalent activities.
  • Initiatives such as "adopt a school" actions by businesses
  • Organising regular school visits by business people to talk and listen with school staff, students, and parents
  • Organising visits to industries and businesses by teachers
  
  

• Work Experience for Teachers

  This would involve solving the problems that are inherent in arranging work experience for teachers as part of their professional development, perhaps every 5 years.  Benefit would come from teachers renewing a perspective on society, by

  • Experience directly the situation of the wealth creating sector, and
  • Updating on how best teachers can contribute to national survival and growth.

Also the relief from having to repeat the teaching exercise year in, year out, in what can be difficult circumstances, would allow individual teachers to regain zeal and enthusiasm on their return to their profession.

Actions in both areas should be built into the final plan.

6.7 THE IMPACT OF "SENIOR COLLEGES" ON T.A.F.E.

The key part of the plan for post-compulsory years involves creation of senior colleges with a broad range of courses, spanning from predominantly pre-vocational and vocational courses to tertiary entrance courses.

There is an obvious overlap between some of these planned activities and existing TAFE functions.  It may be that the aim is to have more students than at present undertake pre-vocational and vocational subjects, in which case the increase will flow:  from advanced colleges providing the teaching.  However if this is not the intention then some rearrangement of the TAFE system will be needed.

Our view of the trade and technical area of the TAFE system is positive.  We would be concerned if any new developments damaged the general level of proficiency and morale which exists in that section.  It would be preferable to build on the existing structure if at all possible.  In the commercial area, there is an overlap with "school" activities;  it is essential that overall management of TAFE/school activities in this area takes into account efficiency for the whole education service in any particular situation.

It is clear, from contact with teachers and parents, that student and parent perceptions of the TAFE system are not as favourable as they possibly should be.  This is part of the syndrome which manifests itself in

• The high proportion of students seeking to gain entrance to tertiary institutions, and
• The prevailing "obsession" with the T.E. score.

It will be vital that this conception is altered in favour of the TAFE system in the course of development of the new system.  For that matter, the standing of the advanced colleges will warrant attention, to ensure than an "image problem" does not develop.

There would be sense in meshing the TAFE and senior college curricula, to the extent that students in the "comprehensive", "vocational" and "senior/general" programs could take a selection of subjects from both establishments, and accumulate credit towards final qualifications ("work units" rather than "semester units").  There are evident hurdles involving differences in standards and unit hours, but surely these could be addressed and overcome.

6.8 ALTERNATIVES FOR SELECTION TO TERTIARY ENTRY:  THE T.E. SCORE

1. Concerns

   The "Blackburn Report" ⁽³⁾ dwells at length (Volume 1, Chapter 6) on the general problem of competition for university places.  One of its recommendations (No. 26) involved seeking restoration of an appropriate level of places in higher education.  However it also analysed the need for reducing competition for entry to the group of students which is likely to gain entry.  Identifying difficulties with an aggregated score system (e.g. the T.E. score), it proposed a number of principles to be followed, including -

   • The selection process should extend over a longer period of time than it does now, and
   • Alternative methods of admitting continuing students to post secondary institutions should be encouraged.
   
   

   Recommendation 27 sought commonwealth funds for the development and implementation of alternative means of selecting students, showing recognition of the immensity of the task.  However if the first principle noted was applied by having teacher assessment decide eligibility for the "tertiary entrance" stream, then the pressure could be taken off the T.E. score to some extent.

   The Karmel Report ⁽⁵⁾ noted that "there was no ready solution", and while canvassing the topic, did not appear to take a position.  It commented critically on misuse of the T.E. score, inter alia by employers for selection purposes in recruitment, but offered no clear alternative.

   
   

2. Options

   It is recognised that resolving this problem is a matter for educators more than business people.  However one option that was not canvassed in "Education 2000" or the Blackburn Report is to develop an alternate aggregate score, for vocational effectiveness.  This could perhaps involve numerical scores being applied with a weighting to vocationally valuable subjects.

   Such an arrangement would help to focus attention of students away from the single (perhaps illusory) T.E. score and instead onto a measure that is more appropriate to the main stream of students.

   In regard to the T.E. score process, alternatives exist to more precisely relate it to specific academic streams.  We could have -

   • A "Maths/Science" T.E. score,
   • A "Humanities" T.E. score, and
   • A "Commercial" T.E. score,
   
   

   In each case calculating the score with weightings towards the relevant subjects.  In any case, the purely academic score could well be based on inclusion of English in the computation as a compulsory subject.

   
   

3. ROSEA and School Reports

   There is basic strength in the ROSBA process and the A.S.A.T. test.  As experience develops, it should be possible for a rating of "S.A.", for example, in a subject to be able to be related to specific work achievements which employers can understand.  Consolidation of the ROSBA system needs to be made evident by maximising the contribution that can result by way of improving objective information on achievement in school reports.

   In this way employers will gain the most value from the experience -- and hard work -- put into assessment of students' performances.  There is a task for the teaching profession in making exit statements more intelligible to potential users.

6.9 ALTERNATIVES FOR T.A.F.E.

"Education 2000" did not examine options for change in TAFE.  However the obvious area for development of TAFE activities is in the area of technical courses, training for industry and commerce, ranging from recreational through semi skilled to para professional training.

Currently most trade certificate courses involve indentures together with periods of block release at TAFE colleges, or part time study at TAFE colleges.  Prevocational training and other actions are augmenting these streams by shortening the actual "indenture + TAFE" period, usually by one year.

The limitations for industry stem from the cyclical nature of apprenticeship opportunities, which closely reflect the nation's economic fortunes.  Also, as cost pressures mount for industry the incentive to take on apprentices has been progressively weakened, particularly as apprentice wages and on-costs -- including on the job training costs -- have grown rapidly in the last 20 years. ⁽¹¹⁾

It is not uncommon in Europe for a parallel path to exist, with full-time college training in key trade and technical courses.  If say 10%-15% of our trade certificate throughput came from full-time training, then the opportunity would exist for significant stabilisation of our supply of future tradesmen.  This would also represent a logical shift for the TAFE system, away from the more basic vocational areas which the senior colleges may cover, and into provision of a major new stream of activity, with a major potential impact on productivity of the future workforce.

This issue has been canvassed before, and each time it has lapsed through concerns about industrial relations, the extent of the change involved, and general satisfaction with the apprenticeship system.  The Williams Report ⁽¹⁴⁾ covers the history on this issue.  However now, when we are looking to the next century, and when the pressure for improved performances is far greater than it was in the past, surely there is the best possible opportunity to change for the better.

If there is a question of resource allocations, i.e. if TAFE has a limit placed on funding which causes quotas to be placed on trade and technical programs, then a move in this area may have to take place by way of (1) reducing outlays on recreational training, or (2) rationalisation of overlaps with schools in say the commercial area.  Certainly cost/benefit criteria should be applied if there is any suggestion that the "core" activities, trade and technical training and associated prevocational training, are in any way limited by the current allocation of funds.

6.10 ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENTS IN POST-COMPULSORY YEARS

From time to time it has been apparent that, particularly in years 11 and 12, individual students can cause disruption to class routines.  These students can divert or demoralise some of their teachers.  In part, this is a result of individuals returning to school -- unwillingly -- because they could not get a job from Grade 10.

It is suggested that unrestricted disruption or diversion of teaching resources cannot continue to be allowed in classes.  There is a cost involved.  If the majority of the students receive less attention or less effective teaching as a result of disruption by individual students, then in the long run the nation is paying a heavy price.  Teacher morale is another vital factor in this issue.

The option should exist for students to be refused places in school, especially in the post compulsory years.  A clear alternative should perhaps be provided, separate from main stream schooling, that will occupy the individuals and as much as possible develop them, but without the disruption and inefficiency that currently results from mixing interested and disinterested students together.

Alternate placements, such as "farm school" may be required for unco-operative or incapable individuals.

7. THE ON-GOING PROCESS -- AFTER "EDUCATION 2000"

There have been suggestions within the community that a decision to implement "Education 2000" has already been taken.  The suggestions appear to stem primarily from the actions and associated announcement in relation to the trial projects (appendix 7 of the "Education 2000" discussion paper).

We welcome these initiatives, which represent a practical means of shortening the time required for the successful implementation of changes.  In fact the need to experiment more than we have to date is emphasised in the recent commonwealth report on labour market programs. ⁽²⁾  However the detail of changes that are to be made, and the process of consultation and explanation with interest groups and the community at large, are matters which have not really begun to be resolved.

In particular our goals need to be agreed.  It is to be hoped that the department recognises the need for further debate and clarification, without abdicating the leadership role required of it, in making and implementing changes finally perceived to be necessary.

In this context it is reassuring to note favourable references to the "system" in Queensland in the recent Victorian study -- the "Blackburn Report", ⁽³⁾ in respect of arrangements for tertiary entrance in particular.

As the public standing of the final report from this Victorian group is reported to be high, it is to be hoped that the final plan -- and report -- which result from review and debate on "Education 2000" achieve the same or higher acceptance in Queensland.

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REFERENCES

1.  Fine, G:  "Education Policy in Australia";  Office of the Economic Planning Advisory Council, Discussion Paper 84/08, October 1984.

2.  Commonwealth Government, Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Labour Market Programs, Canberra 1985.

3.  Victorian Government, "Ministerial Review of Post Compulsory Schooling", Melbourne, March 1985.

4.  Australian Bureau of Statistics, "Expenditure on Education, Australia, 1982-3", Cat. No. 5510.0, Canberra.

5.  Commonwealth Government report of the Review Committee into Quality of Education in Australia, April 1985.

6.  CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) Strategic Issues Forum Report "Education for Development", July 1985.

7.  CEDA Strategic Issues Forum Report "Australian Trade and the Pacific Basin Outlook", July 1985.

8.  CEDA Strategic Issues Forum Report "Economic Growth:  Issues for Australia", July 1985.

9.  P.O. Groenewegen "Problems and Prospects of Public Sector Growth in Australia", ANU, Centre for Research on Federal Financial Relations, Occasional Paper 27.

10.  A. Henderson, "Japanese and Australian Labour Markets:  A Comparison of their Institutions, Structure and Performance", Pacific Economic Papers ANU, Canberra 1985.

11.  K.H. Dredge "Options and Needs in Manpower Planning -- An Industry View", 52nd ANZAAS Congress, Sydney, NSW, 1982.

12.  N.R. Norman and K.F. Meikle "The Economic Effects of Immigration on Australia", CEDA, Melbourne, 1985.

13.  R.J. Wood, "Populate or Perish", July 1990.

14.  Commonwealth Government, report of the Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training, Canberra, 1979.