A Decade Of Lost Achievement
In 2008 a vision was created for Australia. It was to be an Education Revolution – one that would lift student achievement through more equitable funding.
A decade later there has been a steep fall in student achievement, and funding inequality is blamed for the poor outcomes.
The truth is the Education Revolution failed to realise its vision. It did, however, succeed in laying the ground on which Australians now battle over the question of investing or merely spending on education.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) figures for 2018 show government schools educate just 65% of Australia’s school-aged children. The families of the remaining 35% have rejected ‘free’ education and chosen to invest in non-government options.
These figures speak volumes. It suggests the families who are raising 35% of our school-aged population deem government education unsuitable for their children.
The Education Revolution got things very wrong. Perhaps it’s time to take the lead by demanding a guarantee of equitable and suitable schools, and rejecting ongoing scurrilous spending.
Catastrophic Climate Change
We are all capable of maintaining something at a certain rate or level. For example, we can restrict our speed to the legal limit while driving, keep a soup simmering, or stay in gainful employment. On a larger scale, a business can maintain its profitability, a city its streets, and a country can limit immigration.
This is sustainability. Somehow, though, these and other broader realities are not usually front of mind when sustainability is discussed.
It seems many have come to accept sustainability as synonymous with climate change and environmental issues that are said to be disturbing our ecological balance.
The concept of sustainability now includes the term Sustainable Development. It was first recorded in 1987 in the United Nations’ Brundtland Report – Our Common Future.
The report highlighted three fundamental components to sustainable development: environmental protection, economic growth and social equity.
What do these terms genuinely mean?
Can we afford to allow these terms to be misunderstood, just as we have with sustainability?
Unless we learn and lead on raising these matters, I fear catastrophic climate change – and I’m not referring to the weather.
And the Union is Silent
Images and sounds that are exchanged between participants in any form of communication that includes the use of technology are called telecommunications.
In 1865, the International Telecommunication (previously Telegraph) Union (ITU) was founded. Now linked to the United Nations, its membership includes 193 member states from the five world regions: Americas; Western Europe; Eastern Europe and Northern Asia; Africa; and Asia and Australasia.
One of its 8 core purposes is: to promote the use of telecommunication services with the aim of facilitating peaceful relations.
Have you heard of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)?
Given the horrific broadcasting of the tragedy in Christchurch via social media, I hope you can say ‘Yes!’
If not, could it be that there’s another agenda behind a union’s core purpose?
Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Lacey All rights reserved.
Parent, educationist and agitating advocate for change in Australian education.
By raising the bar we can challenge and overcome any global challenges facing Australia and Australians.
Click here to learn how we can work together or contact me at cheryl@cheryllacey.com.
