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Senin, 13 September 2010

Money Should Be Spent on Technical Colleges Not Universities

Just what do Universities offer? Much has been said about the intended cuts to education leading up to the election. Now its seems more spending is in order due to the independents in government. Lecturers have been saying that we will lose the international education industry without more spending. This industry does add foreign income to Australia's GNP, but the Government provides 46 per cent of university income. Australia has the highest proportion of international students than anywhere else in the world. Yet this drain on public funds should be considered when evaluating the income.

With tighter immigration laws the education of foreign student will decline. This is inevitable due to the refugee problem. For years it was used as a backdoor way of getting Australian residency. Many students are now looking to other Western countries in search of a future home. Maybe without this concentration on the education of non-Australians universities can get on with what the are for - to do research and educate the community.

It could be said that too much money has been spent on universities. Australia needs tradespeople not academics. Support should be given to employers to keep young workers while they get a trade ticket. More technical colleges should be built and staffed. Sure it is good to give academics free reign so they can criticise government, but this is a luxury that Australia can ill afford. It doesn't affect the way the country is governed anyway.

http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/
http://www.tysaustralia.blogspot.com/
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http://www.technorati.com/blogs/http://adventure--australia.blogspot.com

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Rabu, 21 April 2010

Universities Want "Automatic" Visas for Post-Graduates

Universities are suggesting that post-graduates from other countries who qualified in Australia be given Australian visas in order to secure permanent residency - all of them! Talk about setting up rules to benefit one section of society, namely, universities. Even with the new skill-based points system for immigration it is doubtful if everyone with a post-graduate degree will be accepted. If post-graduates are given visas that easily what about ordinary graduates. Surely they must have the same right.

Let's face it post-graduates in history may have something to contribute but their services are not in demand. Masters and doctorates in science and engineering could prove useful. What about MBAs? They are two-a-penny anywhere in the world.

The Government is listening. Though it appears consideration is to be given to post-graduates in certain fields. The reality is Australia doesn't train enough people to fill all university positions - teaching is an "innate"skill. This is not a great problem, however. It is common practice for universities to secure the services of people trained in other countries. It gives an "international" feel to campuses. A staff with many overseas trained people allows for differences in opinion in teaching. This is good for students. It gives them a "rounded" education.

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Minggu, 31 Januari 2010

Schools Charge for "Free" Computers

When schools got new computers for their student the last thing you think would happen would be school charging a fee to use them. But this is what has occurred. What are the schools thinking of? A public school is asking parents to buy the computers for $1200. Another is trying to lease them for $1400. It boils down to a technicality. Schools are saying computers must be left at school. There will a charge if they want to take them home.

The ridiculous thing is after paying for a computer a student will still not actually own it. Computers will have to be taken back for use by other students. What a rip off. Over Years 9 to 12 a school will receive $1460. A good laptop can be purchased for $795 anywhere.

Just what is the Federal Government thinking of? It says schools can charge if they want to. Surely this negates the free computer promise. It wasn't voted in to do this. Education Minister Julia Gillard says Schools can arrange for home use as they see fit. The Government should have said providing computers was just a way of giving schools more funding because that is what has happened. Again children from poorer families lose out. It has brought further inequity with some states not charging.

The Labor Government is obviously in league with schools. It is trying to force parents to buy computers by making rental extremely high, so the Government will meet its target of every child having a computer by default.

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Rabu, 27 Januari 2010

Stop Funding Private Schools

The Australian Government is ignoring the protests of teachers and going ahead with publishing a list of schools ranked by proficiency. There are problems in how this ranking is done, what criteria it is based on and what parents can do about it. Teachers say the tests on students are not fully relevant to measuring how well schools "produce" good students. The rules of the test need to be explained to parents. If a parent finds his or her child does attend a poorly ranked school how can a change be carried out if, in the bush for example, another school is a hundred miles away?

Low wage earners do not have the choice of paying for their children's education so the list for them is irrelevant. Suggestions that parents take their custom elsewhere is not a luxury they can afford. The Government has made mistakes in allocating resources to schools. Yes they continue to do this. Too much is dished out to schools who then send parents unregulated bills to educate their children. Education is being treated like a business when it shouldn't be. It should be a right irrespective of income. These schools choose students based on their own criteria. A couple took their children to a Catholic School and admitted they were Protestants. They never got any correspondence from this school again. It is rubbish to say parents have a right to choose.

The website will show that schools in disadvantaged communities will be ranked low. You don't have to be an expert to know this. The allocation of money is the problem. It always had been. It is ridiculous to give schools money then allow them to charge as well. Cut all funding to private schools except to those who cater for teaching of rural students who have to live away from home. Cut funding and watch parents move their children out of private schools, ranking or no ranking. The cost of keeping them there will be too high. Let's face it private schools are subsidized by the taxpayer.

Ranking will let parents into the big secret of under-performing schools. And when they know there will be a reaction. The Government will not have to wait long for this. The Government will then try to quietly close the website citing a "technicality", like a review of the ranking system.

The truth is described by Judy Crowe of Melbourne Girls' College. She says that the school spends $20,000 per student which is three times the average spent on students in public schools. Parents who send there children to private schools are not upset by the ranking, because they will see their choice justified - carry on paying and get a first class education subsidized by the state.

Correct the disjointed funding problem. It is skewed toward the rich. Give to the poor.

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