This author is confused to the point that one can only assume he is motivated by special pleading on behalf of his employer.

He says that 'The evidence shows that resources aimed at improving the overall quality of education is the real answer', but then goes on to say that 'More spending on education is not the answer for government'. Where, one must ask, are the extra resources going to come from?

If a net increase in funding is not the answer, then existing funds must go where they are most needed - in the words of the author, to deal with the '"long tail of underachievement" associated with being Indigenous, living in rural and remote regions and from a socially disadvantaged background'.

While such groups are not exclusively found in State schools, to say that they are found in the same proportions in State and non-State schools is simply wrong.

The answer is to make sure that school funds go where they are most needed, irrespective of which schools the students are in. One consequence will be to shift funds from the overfunded privileged schools in order to give disadvantaged children a fair start in life.

How can money make a teacher smarter or result in more appropriate curriculum ? There's a school being built in far north Qld for 120 kids at a cost of $33 million. I can't wait for all the geniuses coming out of there.

How can money make a teacher smarter or result in more appropriate curriculum ? There's a school being built in far north Qld for 120 kids at a cost of $33 million. I can't wait for all the geniuses coming out of there....lol....Oh thats priceless:)

LEA

The best and least costly improvement in our education system would be to introduce one hour per week of philosophical discussion of open ended questions in every class from kindergarten to Year-6.

This class should exclude any teacher who allows his or her personal views or the views of the institution running the school to intrude into this one hour period. It has been shown that this one hour per week will improve each student cognitive ability, reduce adverse behaviour and make each hour of other school time more effective.

This philosophical discussion time is thought to be particularly beneficial for children from dysfunctional family environments.

Who really wants our society to avoid such benefits for each young person; the religious establishment led by people like George Pell, and the Jensens in NSW where the ethics classes are an excellent step in the right direction.

lol....Oh thats priceless:)
Quantumleap,
I don't get the gist, care to explain what's so priceless ? Will spending all that dough really improve education ? If so please tell us how.

"This philosophical discussion time is thought to be particularly beneficial for children from dysfunctional family environments.

Wont counselling be a better strategy? I would prefer not to play with a double edged swords.

"Who really wants our society to avoid such benefits for each young person; the religious establishment led by people like George Pell, and the Jensens in NSW where the ethics classes are an excellent step in the right direction.

Yes the protectiveness of religious doctrine that promoted the curiosities of fable, worded very well in the past, however not so any more, Partly because of its unbelievable internal structures.

Humans are and will continue to evolve, and to indoctrinate some of the old codings will back fire, in the age for dark times, with confusions now showing its way back up the scale of things.

What we think is best, maybe be not entirely true or relevant for whats best for the future.

Why dont the Catholic Church open free schooling to all the disadvantage and dysfunctional children of Australia.?

Wont that serve all the interests at the heart of all concerned?

Well....I'll reserve any further comment at this point.



LEA

So much empty rhetoric; the author bandies about the usual mantra of "more accountability" as if schools in Australia have been a black hole from which information on scholastic performance had never escaped. (I find it puzzling that in articles of this ilk, the term "accountability" always gets a mention, yet references to "pedagogy" are nowhere to be found.) In the same breath, Mr Prasser also champions the cause of flexibility, yet fails to explain how in the era of standardised testing -- in the form of NAPLAN -- and the public naming and shaming of schools, teachers in low performing schools will be able to do anything other than focus on teaching to the test.

Mr Prasser proclaims that "[w]e know that works" when it comes to improving quality in schools; but fails to produce a single real-life example of what actually works. He would have done well here to talk about the success of the Finnish school system. But as there are few private schools in Finland, such an example would have contradicted his belief in "doing a lot what the non-government sector [in Australia] is doing" to improve our schools.

Mr Prasser also plays fast and loose with the factual content of his article. In his reference to Australia's performance in the latest OECD PISA results, he has obviously isolated maths scores to show Australia's "significant decline", as we ranked in the top 10 for reading and science.

I wonder if Mr Prasser would at all be interesting in re-producing this article to show some semblance of balance and understanding of a topic that should not be reduced to a simplistic mouthing of the usual "more accountability"?

There is a notion aboard that claims that giving extra money to those in need is wasted and is a drain on society, weakening those who the4 money is taken off.

I can remember when my children were young, the pet dog gave birth to a large litter of beautiful pups except for one that was a runt. My father, an ex farmer suggested that it would be humane to put it down, as it would not be able to thrive or compete with the rest of the litter.

My eldest daughter at about age ten would have nothing of this. Many times a day for weeks, she pushed the other pups out of the way, giving the runt access to the nipple. The result was that pup developed into a healthy and strong dog. Not one of the rest of the litter showed that they were harmed in any way.

The moral is that assistance given when needed will not be wasted. Assistance not given or given too late, leads to waste.

Interestingly, it was the Catholic Church that pioneered free education in Australia. Systemic Catholic Schools are still the cheapest non-government schools, because they are designed to offer an alternative to state education for the generally working class Catholics. Check out the funding arrangements on MySchool, as well. You'll see that they produce comparable (and generally a little better) results than their nearest state schools, with less per capita funding. The figures for funding include parent contributions. In short, each student in a Catholic school costs the taxpayer less than his/her counterpart in a state school. Even if the product isn't markedly better, it still offers greater value for money.

Foyle says -
"The best and least costly improvement in our education system would be to introduce one hour per week of philosophical discussion of open ended questions in every class from kindergarten to Year-6.

This class should exclude any teacher who allows his or her personal views or the views of the institution running the school to intrude into this one hour period. It has been shown that this one hour per week will improve each student cognitive ability, reduce adverse behaviour and make each hour of other school time more effective."

Some great thoughts but a few problems.

The main problem is that I am yet to meet any teachers (of which I am one), or any person for that matter, who can sustain a lengthy philosophical discussion without their own prejudices coming through. Not always intentional, not always obvious, but pretty much always there. Sure it's stereotypical, so I won't attach labels, but it is widely accepted that certain faculties in High Schools can be identified by their political/philosophical leanings.

Open ended questioning and discussion are equally useful regardless of what subject they are used for. Certainly some subjects lend themselves more to this style of teaching but in reality it should be there in all. It doesn't need to be philosophy.

Finally, to be effective, philosophy must be taught very well. Few are up to this challenge.

What school is that, individual?

I did some googling, and found that a School of Dentistry is being built at James Cook University for $33,000,000; I also found a Special Education School being built for the same sum in Currumbin, but that isn't in FNQ. The former has funding for only 60 places, and isn't part of school education. The latter ... well, to demand geniuses from a school that caters exclusively for the needs of students so profoundly impaired that they cannot be integrated into regular classrooms is a bit unrealistic.

If funding was the reason for the dismal failure of secular schooling then aboriginals would all be doctors. The flawed philosophy and lack of morals can not be changed by more money. The flawed dogmas will continue to be ignored and lies made up about how much more private schools get in order to disguise the real reasons for failure.

Otokonoko,

try the northeasternmost inhabited place in Australia.

Runner,
you summed it up perfectly. Sadly, it's not only education.

I challedge the Catholic schools to change their focus of making money to providing a service to Australia. Close your schools in the leafy suburbs and open new ones in the trouble area's. take on all the disadvantaged kids from disfunctional familys. Do that and I would be interested in supporting you through my tax dollars. I am not however interested in helping you make money to send to Rome.

cornonacob

the problem would be that the kids would have to behave or get the boot. The secular school allows all behaviours and even encourages it by having no discipline of any use. The reason we have so many kids from dysfunctional families ( I am surprised you admit their is as such) is because of the dogmas and lack of morals taught through secular dogma. Maybe if boys and girls were taught a little about faithfulness instead of how to put a condom on their would be a lot less dysfunction. Now that should raise a few eyebrows.

Now that should raise a few eyebrows.
Runner,
Only those 50 % who don't understand plus the few supporting the independents.

Thanks individual. I'll do some research there!

cornonacob, you need to draw a distinction between those Catholic schools that are fully independent (generally run by religious orders) and those systemic Catholic schools that tend to appear in poor suburbs as often as rich ones. Consider St Michael's School, Palm Island and St Francis' College, Marsden - neither of which is in a wealthy area and neither of which is likely to produce considerable income. In fact, both do what you ask of Catholic schools - they are in troubled areas, they take disadvantaged kids from dysfunctional families. Your broad generalisations suggest that you don't actually know much about Catholic schools, but are quick to knock them. As I said before, their mission was [and still is] to provide an alternative to state education to [primarily Catholic] families who can't necessarily afford expensive private schools.

Flash schools like Terrace and Nudgee (sorry - I don't know too many schools from outside QLD off the top of my head) operate outside the Cath Ed system, despite their affiliation with the Catholic Church.

Yes! I can see the balances quite well, cant you:) The rich just keep on getting richer, why is that?

In Parramatta, Diocesan schools tuition fees for 2010 range from $1,110 per year for primary schooling to $1986 per year for upper secondary schooling.

Catholic school families contribute to the building levy to assist with capital works and major refurbishment projects. School-based fees may also be charged for additional resources and school supplies.

Yep! I can see every and all disadvantaged families jumping for joy as I speak. I just love a bit social justice, dont you.

‘Catholic schools rely heavily on government funding,’ said Greg. ‘Without the state and federal government’s financial support, Catholic schools would simply not exist.

In real terms, Catholic schools on average receive $7,685 per student in government funding (both state and federal) per year. This is more than 30 percent less than the $11,874 per student funding allocated to public schools by state and federal governments.**

We are grateful for the support of both the Australian and New South Wales governments for their continuing support of Catholic schools, which is vital if we are to continue to serve the church’s mission to provide quality Catholic education to our families, now and in the future.

What families in particular

LEAP

The original article modelled the concept of "quality" in a mysterious way. The author writes "here is the evidence..." Nothing followed. The ACU must take miracles very seriously.