Today, I feel like moving away for awhile from emanila- and website-related topics.
The hottest topic in New South Wales these days is the plan of the NSW Government to extend the leaving period for students from age 15 to age 17. The changes will take effect from 2010, abolishing laws which had been in place for the last 60 years.
Under the new system, every student will have to complete the school certificate in Year 10.
They won’t be able to leave unless they are enrolled in a vocational training program. Failing to meet this condition, then they need to stay until they’re 17.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees says that “All kids in NSW deserve to have the best chance in life.”
Quite true. But not necessarily education, or rather more years in school. The new system is a waste of taxpayers money if spent on unwilling individuals who feel that they can spend their time more wisely by staying out of school.
Can anyone see any justification for this new system?
I don’t.
What do you think?
Someone emailed me asking what’s the equivalent of Year 10 in Phil. education system. Year 10 is 4th year high school. So, Grade 1 in Philipines is Year 1 in Australia… 1st year high school is Year 7, etc.
The years of stay in school doesn’t guarantee anything, and better chance in life is always reachable as long as we continuously learn everyday and as long as we know our stand, our existence in this world.
However, the NSW office may really have their point from this new system as the “chance” in life.
Is it really a waste of taxpayers’ money? It is not as long as the another two years would offer a total different approach, more matured lectures that would make students more productive as a citizen of this world, that regardless of your position or status in society, you’re still the same as the queen of england.
Also, we also have to look at the economic effects of this system that involve unemployment/underemployment rates. This may be part of NSW’s justification at improving the quality of workforce.
It may be risky especially to think because the system has been there for 60 years, but let’s not be afraid of tomorrow, of trying a new system, as response to our changing world.
No matter where you are in the world, it is not a waste of time, not even a waste of money if the educators and students have a common understanding of what education is for themselves and for the society.
Cherry – Thanks for your comments.
We have no issue with your statement that education is not “a waste of money if the educators and students have a common understanding of what education is for themselves and for the society.”
Which is exactly our point. To unwilling individuals who do not see what school education is for them, that becomes a waste of time and taxpayers’ money. After all, life’s education does not necessarily have to confine in school.
But for those who would like to pursue further education in classroom, that’s fine. We all know that opportunities are available in Australia. The choice is there and what it takes is for the individual to make a choice. Given current economic climate, we like to believe that many would make the choice of extending their school years if only to stay away from long unemployment queues.
On the economic effect of the new system on balancing current unemployment / unemployment rates, again we have no issue with you on this point. In fact, others have seen this new system as a political maneuver. Do we need to wait for an economic downturn to improve the “quality of workforce”?