Review into Regional Education Recommends VET/University Associate Degrees

The Australian Government today released the final report of an "Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education" by Dr John Halsey of Flinders University. The most interesting of eleven recommendation is: "Expand the availability, affordability and accessibility of high quality work experience placements, VET, dual VET/university options and two year associate degree programs for RRR students.". The Senate Committee on the Future of Work and Workers could usefully look at this.

Professor Halsey identified nine themes:

1. Curriculum and assessment
2. Teachers and teaching
3. Leaders and leadership
4. School and community
5. Information and Communication Technology
6. Entrepreneurship and schools
7. Improving access—enrolments, clusters, distance education, boarding
8. Diversity
9. Transitioning beyond school

Professor Halsey made eleven recommendations:

1. Establish and/or refine processes for ensuring the relevance of the Australian Curriculum and state/territory assessment processes for RRR students and communities.
2. Ensure RRR contexts, challenges and opportunities are explicitly included in the selection and pre-service education of teachers, initial appointment processes and their on-going professional support.
3. Ensure RRR contexts, challenges and opportunities are explicitly included in the selection, preparation, appointment and on-going professional support of educational leaders.
4. Ensure RRR children start school with a strong foundation for learning.
5. Expand the availability, affordability and accessibility of high quality work experience placements, VET, dual VET/university options and two year associate degree programs for RRR students.
6. Support RRR students to make successful transitions from school to university, training, employment and combinations of them.
7. Encourage the philanthropic sector to play a greater role in raising achievements and improving opportunities for RRR students.
8. Improve opportunities for RRR schools to implement entrepreneurship in education through curriculum, teaching, system and cultural changes and building on good practice.
9. Improve the availability, accessibility and affordability of ICT for RRR schools, teachers, students, parents and communities.
10. Support RRR communities to implement innovative approaches to education delivery designed to improve education access and outcomes for students living in remote communities.
11. Establish a national focus for RRR education, training and research to enhance access, outcomes and opportunities in regional Australia.

The report is dated January 2018, but was only released to the public in mid April. No explanation has been provided by any of the four ministers who commented on the report as to why they delayed its released for two months. The ministers have only committed to "consider" the report, although they have already had it for two months.