The OECD, as part of its Education Working Papers series, has published "How technology changes demands for human skills". The paper argues that a technology-rich workplace requires foundational skills including numeracy and literacy, advanced problem-solving skills and advanced communication skills.
Latest News & News Archive
APC supports teacher performance pay but not annual bonuses
While the Australian Parents Council welcomes in principle the commitment by Prime Minister Gillard to invest $1.25 billion to recognise highly accomplished teachers, the council is deeply disappointed with the way the investment is framed within a regime of bonus payments linked to students’ NAPLAN results and National Partnerships.
Clock is Ticking for Funding Misinformation
The Independent Schools Council of Australia says that if the Prime Minister is successful in publishing identical and comparable financial data of each government and non-government school on the My School website later this year, then the Australian Education Union (AEU) will no longer be able to wage its campaign of misinformation regarding schools funding.
Feeling the Strain: the battle for care that's pulling families apart
Isabelle Archer writes in the latest edition of Marie-Clairethat there are some children whose disabilities are so severe that without shared-care arrangements families simply fall apart. The article refers to the impending closure of Kingsdene Special School in Sydney and includes a link to a petition to keep the school open.
Listening to the kids with special needs
In an opinion piece published in the Newcastle Herald on 4 August 2010 Robyn Parker, chair of the NSW inquiry into the provision of education to children with disabilities and special needs, says the overwhelming view heard during the inquiry was that there are significant inadequacies in the NSW education system for these students. In APC's view the situation in NSW described by Ms Parker is typical of that which exists in all education sectors across Australia.
$527 million in unclaimed Education Tax Refund
The Australian Government is encouraging Australian families to keep their receipts from education related expenses so they can take advantage of the Education Tax Refund (ETR). Figures from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have revealed that only half of all eligible Australian families have lodged a claim, leaving more than $500 million in unclaimed benefits.
Coalition commitment to funding students with disabilities welcomed by parents of students in non-government schools
The executive director of the Australian Parents Council, Ian Dalton, has congratulated the Coalition on its announcement that, if elected, the Coalition will make a substantial investment in the schooling of students with disabilities, regardless of the school they attend. According to Mr Dalton, “This policy announcement is the first substantial commitment ever made by political parties at the federal level to move towards providing more realistic levels of funding for students with severe disabilities whose parents choose for them to attend a non-government school."
Canberra Times Opinion: Jury's still out on school funding
The Canberra Times on 20 July 2010 points to the misleading and incorrect claims made by Australian Education Union president Angelo Gavrielatos when he argues that any new funding formula, to be introduced post-2012, must redirect government funds from non-government to state schools.
Educational Partnerships a focus for Review of Funding for Schooling
The Australian Parents Council (APC) has commended the Australian Government's inclusion in the Terms of Reference for the Review of Funding for Schooling the consideration of the roles of families, parents, communities and other institutions in providing or supporting educational partnerships with schools.
APC welcomes Coalition focus on directly funding schools
The parents of students attending Australia’s non-government schools have welcomed the Coalition’s announcement that, if elected, it will allow schools to self manage yet to be released funding for BER projects. The executive director of the Australian Parents Council, Ian Dalton, said, “While the announcement made today by the Coalition relates to funding for BER projects in government schools, APC is heartened by the implications this announcement has for the future of funding for schooling. It is vitally important that a direct funding relationship is maintained between the Federal Government and non-government schools.
