Education in Australia follows a three tier model: primary, secondary and tertiary education. Education is primarily regulated by the individual state governments, not the federal government. Education is compulsory up to an age specified by legislation; this age varies but is generally 15 or 16, that is prior to completing secondary education.
Post-compulsory education is regulated within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training (TAFEs and private providers) and the higher education sector (mainly universities).
OECD data shows that all member countries have problems with adult literacy, and in Australia one in five adults do not have the literacy skills to effectively participate in daily life[1].
Government and Private
Primary and Secondary
A primary school in rural Victoria.
Primary and secondary education may be provided by:
- Government schools (also known as State schools, or public schools)
- Private schools (the older of these institutions are sometimes called Public School)
There has been a strong drift of students to private schools during the past decade.
Government schools educate the majority of students and do not charge large tuition fees (most do charge a fee as a contribution to costs). The major part of their costs is met by the relevant State or Territory government. Private schools, both religious or secular (the latter often with specialisations), may charge much higher fees.
Public schools can be divided into two types: open and selective. The open schools accept all students from their government defined catchment areas, while selective schools have high entrance requirements and cater to a much larger area. Entrance to selective schools is often highly competitive. In Victoria, for example, more than 3000 applicants sit the entrance exam each year competing for the 600 available places.
Private schools can also be divided into two groups. By far the most numerous are Catholic schools. The rest are known as Independent schools, which are largely Protestant grammar schools and lower key religious schools. There has been substantial growth of low fee church based schools.
The most prestigious schools are generally the private grammar schools and highest performing selective High Schools. James Ruse Agricultural High School in New South Wales and Melbourne High School and Mac.Robertson Girls' High School in Victoria consistently out perform the private grammar schools in all academic fields, and have thus earned their associated prestige.
The prestige itself, unlike some other countries, confers no advantage for university entrance; however, students from the prestigious schools tend to get higher than average Equivalent National Tertiary Entry Rank scores. However, this slight advantage does not appear to equate to superior university performance. A recent study found that students from independent schools are more likely to drop out in the first year of university than those from public schools. Regardless of whether a school is public or private, they are regulated by the same curriculum standards frameworks.
Most school students in Australia wear uniforms, although there are many exceptions. Private schools tend to have stricter dress codes than government schools do.
Tertiary
Like in other countries, both private and public universities can be found in Australia; as of 2004, there are 36 public, 2 Catholic and 1 other private universities in Australia. Admissions by Australian citizens to public and Catholic universities in Australia are based on the prospective student's academic achievement, and to a much lesser extent, the ability to afford tuition. Admission to the other private university by Australians and admission by prospective international students to any university is primarily dependant on their ability to pay their fees.
Domestic students are not usually subject to up-front fees at a public university if enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). As well as receiving substantial government subsidies to the cost of tertiary education, students in CSP places have the option of deferring their financial contributions to their education completely via the HECS-HELP scheme. Students may also enroll in a non-Commonwealth Supported Place, known as a FULL-FEE place, and must pay all upfront fees, which are typically greater than a standard HECS-HELP debt, usually undertaken to reduce academic entrance requirements. Additionally, a compulsory upfront student services fee is usually charged although this will most likely change with the impending introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism. There are usually other compulsory up-front costs, for textbooks, materials and the like.
It is important to note that, unlike in other countries such as the USA, public universities in Australia are more prestigious than their few private counterparts. All the members of the Group of Eight, Australian Technology Network and Innovative Research Universities Australia are public universities.
Pre-Primary Education
This tier is relatively unregulated, and is not compulsory.
The first exposure many Australians have to learning things with others outside of traditional parenting is day care or a parent run playgroup. This sort of activity is not generally considered "schooling".
The first structured classes most Australians take is in a sector called Kindergarten (Kinder or Kindy) in most states and territories, but called Pre-School in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory (and occasionally elsewhere), and takes the sequential names Kindergarten and Pre-Primary in Western Australia.
This is called "Three Year Old Kinder" in many places. This year takes the form of a few hours of activity twice or three times a week. Most children do not attend this year.
This year, and this year alone is called "Kindergarten" in WA. This is called "Four Year Old Kinder" in many places. This year takes the form of a few hours of activity twice or three times a week. Most children do not attend this year.
This year is far more commonly attended, and is what is known as "Kinder" or "Pre-School" to most people. In WA, it is known as "Pre-Primary". It usually takes the form of a few hours of activity five days a week.
In all states and territories except Western Australia, nearly all schools in this sector are completely separate from primary schools. In that state, most "pre-primary" education is taught as part of the primary school system.
In the Northern Territory, the pre-schools are usually run by the territory. Most pre-primary schools in the rest of Australia are run by local councils, community groups and private organisations.
Queensland is planning to trial a compulsory Preparatory Year. This has lead to considerable disruption, as Education Queensland are divesting Preschools not co-located with Primary Schools and forcing Primary Schools to make accommodations for children that are younger, smaller and less able than 5 year olds.
Primary Education
Primary education usually consists of seven years of school education, although this varies between states. These years also have different names in different states.
In New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, the first year of primary education is known as "Kindergarten", which is followed by "Year 1", "Year 2", and so on, up to "Year 6". Many schools in the ACT also offer a "Transition" year between Kindergarten and Year 1, for children who turn 5 after April 30.
In Victoria, primary school consists of "Prep" (Preparatory) to Grade 6.
In Queensland, primary school is Grades 1 to 7, but a Prep Year is being pahsed in, replacing Preschool.
In Western Australia, primary school consists of "Kindergarten", followed by "Pre-primary" and then "Year 1" through to "Year 7". This Kindergarten is the equivalent of Kindergarten or Pre-School offered in other states.
In South Australia, the first year of primary school is called "Reception" followed by Years 1 to 7 inclusive.
In the Northern Territory, the first year is called "Transition" and is followed by Years 1 to 7, except in Alice Springs, where it only continues to Year 6.
The term "Prep" is to be introduced throughout Australia over 2005 to 2007.
Note that these are only general rules - there are exceptions. For example, there are a number of "middle schools" which generally cover Years 6 to 8. There are also "P-10" or Hightop schools that cover Prep-Year 10, and "P-12" or "Consolidated" schools that cover all primary and secondary years.
Secondary Education
In Australia, secondary schools are generally referred to as high schools. Most high schools in Victoria have been formally known by the name secondary college or just college since 1989, but they are still more commonly referred to collectively as "high schools".
The exact length of secondary school varies from state to state, with New South Wales, Victoria and the Alice Springs area teaching Years 7-12, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and most of the Northern Territory teaching Years 8-12 (Grades 8-12 in Queensland), and Tasmania and the ACT teaching years 7-10. Some schools in South Australia and the Northern Territory also have a Year 13 for students wishing more time to finish their leaving certificate. Tasmania and the ACT both provide senior colleges for years 11 and 12.
Each state has laws specifying the conditions under which children no longer have to attend school. Generally, children must remain enrolled in high school until age fifteen or completion of Year 10.
At the end of high school, students have an aggregate mark or rank calculated, based upon both school assessment and/or final exams (see university admissions). Selection for entry into tertiary education courses is usually based upon such an index.
Usually, students choose to undertake their state's version of the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE), however there are competing systems, such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the higher levels of Accelerated Christian Education.
Syllabi and assessment are specified and overseen by the relevant authority in each state. In Victoria this is the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), in NSW the Board of Studies, in Queensland the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), in Western Australia the Curriculum Council, and in South Australia the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA).
Additionally, students wishing to enter most medical (including dental) courses must also complete the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT).
School governance has been influenced by the work of Caldwell and Spinks. In essence the thrust of the work of these researchers and thinkers has been to enhance local self management of schools. Introduced across Victoria between 1992 and 1995, school self management dramatically enhanced the role of the principal and the school council. At the time of introduction, the changes in governance were linked with politically inspired budget cuts and the unholy wedding thus achieved has sullied the reception of self management, particularly with teacher unions.
Selective government schools are common in New South Wales, but rare elsewhere. They accept only the most academically talented students. Largely because of this, these schools are usually among the top achievers in the SSCE exams. The prestige of these schools mean that their vacancies are well sought after, and their entry exams are highly competitive. They are often seen as an educationally equal, but much cheaper alternative, to private grammar schools.
Tertiary education
Classification of tertiary qualifications
In Australia, the classification of tertiary qualifications is governed in part by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which attempts to integrate into a single classification all levels of tertiary education (both vocational and higher education), from trade certificates to higher doctorates.
However, as Australian universities (and a few similar higher education institutions) largely regulate their own courses, the primary usage of AQF is for vocational education. However in recent years there have been some informal moves towards standardization between higher education institutions.
In Australia, higher education awards are classified as follows:
- Bachelors degrees, generally the first university degree undertaken, which take 3 or 4 years to complete, and consist primarily of coursework. Bachelors degrees are normally awarded with honours to the best performing students.
In some courses, honours is awarded on the basis of performance throughout the course (usually in 4yr+ courses), but normally honours consists of undertaking a year of research (like a short thesis or Masters by Research). If honours is undertaken as an extra year it is known as an honours degree rather than a degree with honours.
Honours may be divided into First Class, Second Class (normally divided into Division I and Division II) and Third Class. This is roughly equivalent to the American classification of cum laude, summa cum laude, and magna cum laude. Individuals who do not attempt honours or who fail their honours course are awarded a degree with a grade of Pass.
- Masters degrees, which are undertaken after the completion of one or more Bachelors degrees. Masters degrees deal with a subject at a more advanced level than Bachelors degrees, and can consist either of research, coursework, or a mixture of the two.
- Doctorates, most famously Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), which are undertaken after a Honours Bachelors or Masters degree, by an original research project resulting in a thesis or dissertation. Admission to candidature for a PhD generally requires either a Bachelor's degree with good honours (First Class or Second Class Division I), or a Masters degree with a research component.
In many cases a student with only a Pass Bachelor's degree can enroll in a Masters program and then transfer to a PhD. Australian PhDs do not tend to take as long as American or British ones, and consist of less coursework than most American PhDs. There are also professional doctorates which consist of advanced coursework and a substantial project in an area such as education (DEd). There is no concept of a "first-professional doctorate" like those awarded in the United States.
- Higher Doctorates, such as Doctor of Science (DSc) or Doctor of Letters (DLitt), which are awarded on the basis of a record of original research or of publications, over many years (often at least 10).
Australian Universities tend to award more named degrees than institutions in some other countries. Most Australian universities offer several different named degrees per a faculty. This is primarily for marketing purposes. Universities often try to outdo each other by offering the only degree titled with a popular major.
By contrast, at an undergraduate level at Oxford University, almost all students complete a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), even if they are studying areas such as Chemistry or Economics, whereas at most Australian institutions only students choosing to concentrate in the humanities would be awarded a B.A. However, although there is a large proliferation at the level of Bachelors and Masters, at the Doctorate and Higher Doctorate level most institutions only have four or five degrees in all, and almost all Doctorates are PhDs.
Unlike American institutions, where most medical doctors or lawyers will graduate with an M.D. or J.D., medical doctors and lawyers in Australia generally only graduate with Bachelor's degrees. In Australia, a degree of Doctor is only awarded after original research or honoris causa, although by custom medical doctors are permitted to assume that title without having completed a doctorate.
In the case of medical doctors, the most common award is M.B.B.S., the double degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (this is similar to the case in Britain). The most common award for lawyers is LL.B. or BLaws (which are both abbreviations, one Latin and the other English, for Bachelor of Laws).
Traditionally in Australia, medical degrees were commenced immediately after secondary education, unlike in the United States where student generally complete an undergraduate degree first before going to medical school. However, some universities have introduced graduate entry only degrees in medicine, but these are still classified as Bachelors degrees.
Law is commonly studied as a combined degree, such as with Arts or Science (BA/LLB, BSc/LLB), with only a small number of places available for a 'straight' law degree. The large number of combined courses enable students to develop skills in a diverse range of areas. Another common combination is Commerce and Law, which opens up many positions in business, commerce and industry. The Law degree in Australia is seeing fewer graduates going on to become practicing Lawyers; instead many graduates take work in private industry or government sectors.
Australian Bachelors degrees are commonly only 3 years in duration, unlike the 4 year degrees found in the United States, although some institutions offer 4 year degrees as well. The length of the degree usually depends on the field of study; for example engineering usually takes four years while medicine takes six. Combined degrees are also available and usually add an extra year of study. Australian universities tend to have less of an emphasis on a liberal education than many universities in the US, which is reflected in the shorter length of Australian degrees.
Associate Degrees have recently been introduced. These generally take two years to complete and can be seen as equivalent to the Associate's Degree in the US and the Foundation Degree in the UK. They are also equivalent to the older Australian qualifications the Diploma and the Advanced Diploma.
Prior to the 1980s health science disciplines were being established by Colleges of Advanced Education, who were forbidden to award "degrees". Courses were conducted and classified as a "Diploma of Applied Science in (discipline)". These courses had considerable content requirements, some having over 32 contact hours per week over a three year period. These "diplomas" have been somewhat devalued by the newer naming conventions, as some diploma courses conducted nowadays may only consist of attending 12 training days for a total of less than 72 contact hours. However, many former "diplomates" have either converted or upgraded their DipAppScis to the corresponding Bachelor degree, or have undertaken further post graduate study.
Vocational Education and Training
The major providers of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia are the various state-administered Institutes of Technical and Further Education or TAFE across the country. TAFE institutions generally offer short courses, Certificates I, II, III, and IV, Diplomas, and Advanced Diplomas in a wide range of vocational topics. They also sometimes offer Higher Education courses, especially in Victoria.
In addition to TAFE Institutes there are many Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) which are privately operated. In Victoria alone there are approximately 1100. They include:
- commercial training providers,
- the training department of manufacturing or service enterprises,
- the training function of employer or employee organisations in a particular industry,
- Group Training Companies,
- community learning centres and neighbourhood houses,
- secondary colleges providing VET programs.
In size these RTOs vary from single-person operations delivering training and assessment in a narrow specialisation, to large organisations offering a wide range of programs. Many of them receive government funding to deliver programs to apprentices or trainees, to disadvantaged groups, or in fields which governments see as priority areas.
All TAFE Institutes and private RTOs are required to maintain compliance with a set of national standards called the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF), and this compliance is monitored by regular internal and external audits.
VET programs delivered by TAFE Institutes and private RTOs are based on nationally registered qualifications, derived from either endorsed sets of competency standards known as Training Packages, or from courses accredited by state/territory government authorities. These qualifications are regularly reviewed and updated. In specialised areas where no publicly owned qualifications exist, an RTO may develop its own course and have it accredited as a privately owned program, subject to the same rules as those that are publicly owned.
All trainers and assessors delivering VET programs are required to hold a qualification known as the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) or demonstrate equivalent competency. They are also required to have relevant vocational competencies, at least to the level being delivered or assessed.
See also
Reference
External links
