Author: Paul Kidson
(MENAFN - The Conversation) The Australian school system is concentrating more disadvantaged students in disadvantaged schools, with serious implications for student achievement. A report released today by the Gonski Institute says schools in Australia are more regressive, divided and socially segregated than in most other rich countries.
Our report examines how well Australian education meets our agreed national educational goals. These were most recently articulated in the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) declaration as improving educational outcomes for all young Australians through excellence and equity .
When governments provide funding to schools, obligations and expectations rightly flow from this. If one of those is promoting excellence and equity , it s time for a serious revision.
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There have been some reports students fell behind during the remote learning period in 2020.
For instance, a report by the NSW education department found NSW students in year 3 were up to four months behind in reading in 2020 compared to their 2019 counterparts. And year 9 students were two to three months behind in numeracy.
Modelling by the Grattan Institute estimated disadvantaged students including those from low socioeconomic families, Indigenous backgrounds and remote communities had lost around two months learning during the remote learning period in Victoria.
Our research found only year 3 students from the least advantaged schools fell behind academically during the remote learning period.