This media release discusses a new report that shows that financial literacy education can help disadvantaged young people set goals for the future and get on top of personal financial challenges. Treasury Media release, 4 May 2011
A report on skills reform released today confirms the critical role Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system can play in boosting workforce participation and productivity. Minister for Skills and Jobs, Senator Chris Evans, said Australia's independent skills and workforce advisory body, Skills Australia, had completed a comprehensive assessment and made wide ranging recommendations aimed at producing a more flexible and market-oriented VET system.
Prime minister Julia Gillard has announced an extra $200m for students with disabilities. She said the money would be for additional support for students and their teachers. In a pre-budget speech, Gillard said the budget would bring Australia back to surplus in 2012/13. Funding for disabled students will be increased to $6.2b, she said. Education Minister Peter Garrett said it was clear the government has a commitment to 'every kid' in Australia. When pressed on what the budget 'message' was. Gillard said it 'is about doing 'what we need to now to keep our economy strong.'
The Northern Territory Government has passed amendments to the Education Act in Parliament today which aim to boost school attendance and ensure every child in the Territory attends school every day. Minister for Education and Training, Dr Chris Burns, said the amendments are part of an overall strategy to boost school attendance and are supported with a record budget of $930 million for Education.
A school in New York City has embraced digital games as highly effective learning tools. The curriculum is created by teachers and game designers working together and every subject requires a puzzle or game to be solved. The Age, 2 May 2011.
The Federal Government says next week's budget will lay the groundwork for rewarding Australia's best teachers with bonuses of up to $8,100 starting in 2014.
Teachers will undergo a medical-style internship as part of their initial training, under proposals being considered by the national teaching institute to improve the quality of education degrees.
Increased use of the Internet is leading to a more politically engaged and socially inclusive society, according to the latest ANUpoll. The latest ANUpoll, released today - The Internet and Civil Society - shows that far from increasing social isolation because users are in front of a computer screen, the Internet is actually having a positive effect on civil society.
The Productivity Commission has commenced the third in a suite of studies into the education and training workforce, with this study focusing on the workforce for Australia's schools. To assist participants in preparing submissions to the study, the Commission will shortly release an Issues Paper that will identify a range of matters about which information and comment are being sought.
An independent review found many schools still take an ad hoc approach to new technologies. The standard of technology provision in schools varies widely, despite spending of 487m pounds on ICT equipment and services last year, according to the findings of an independent review commissioned by the education secretary Michael Gove.
