Page 1193 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 1991
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the Curriculum Corporation. Non-government and government agencies in each State were involved in the preparation of State chapters. In the ACT this involved liaison between the public education system, the non-government schools office, the Association of Independent Schools and the Catholic Education Office.
The report was produced by an Australian Education Council working party made up of representatives from each State and Territory, the Commonwealth and non-government school associations. In 1989 the Commonwealth coordinated the production of the report in conjunction with the Australian Education Council. The 1990 national report is being coordinated by Queensland. It is expected that each State and Territory will take on this role on a rotating basis.
The report is made up of individual chapters, using an agreed set of headings. These are: State objectives and priorities; structure and operation of the school system; historical, geographical and demographic influences; curriculum policy statement; accreditation processes; enrolments, retention and educational participation; system initiatives; assessment policy; staffing, management and development; professional development; and resource provision and management and funding arrangements.
This pilot report provides an overview of the education systems operating in Australia; but, of course, this is not enough. Data on retention rates, inclusion of specific community groups, attainment levels, et cetera, do not alone create a picture of the effectiveness of the Australian education scene. The focus needs to be on learning, rather than on teaching. The challenge faced by all the education systems is to cut through the rhetoric and answer the big questions: What are the outcomes of the education system? What delivery mechanisms are the most effective? What performance indicators should we use?
Preparation of this report serves two main purposes. For the first time it provides a comprehensive and timely overview of school level education across Australia, in a form which makes the information accessible to managers, members of the parliaments and the public. It will also provide a rich source for research. The report provides a vehicle for State and Territory governments to meet the education accountability requirements of the Commonwealth associated with its education funding programs.
While the report is an important milestone in reporting progress of education across Australia, we need to be cautious that participation in it does not lead to imposed uniformity or loss of the right to determine our own educational standards and curriculum. It should be seen as part of our voluntary participation in initiatives at the national level, including the development of national schooling and curriculum frameworks.
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