Education reform is critical to kids’ future

EDUCATION is a critical sector which is in desperate need of more resources and an overhaul to ensure that our kids are getting the most out of their time at school. The federal government have declared it is facing a crisis, with high numbers of teachers leaving the profession in droves, while many more are simply not even studying it.

According to today’s reports, teaching enrolments have plummeted by 16 per cent in the past decade, with up to half deserting the profession in the first five years on the job.

This comes despite demand for teachers is at record highs.

A study by Monash University which surveyed almost 5500 teachers found a staggering 70 per cent believed that the public did not respect them.

Given the increasingly difficult conditions which those on the front lines of education have faced, particularly in the past decade, it is hardly a surprise that they don’t feel valued.

With that being the case, the planned intervention announced by Education Minister Jason Clare is a welcome step towards reforming the sector and ensuring that the next generation of children gets the best education possible.

According to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), overall funding for government schools rose from $26.4bn to $39.2bn in the decade between 2009 and 2010, yet over the same period performance dropped by 22 per cent in both mathematical and scientific literacy.

Mr Clare says the national tertiary system needs “serious reform” and the existing national agreement is useless.

It is critical the federal government engages in the heavy lifting of reform to ensure this issue is solved.