" ... I mean too many aspiring teachers are just not classroom ready; and in some cases illiterate or lack numeracy skills? ... "

I have never come across an illiterate teacher, quite the contrary, though perhaps some of the bi/multi-lingual support staff are only proficient in Australian english as a 2nd language. If anything, reading and writing is what they do well.

No, what they lack is the ability to reason in many cases.

As for numeracy, well, there's bound to be some variance there especially as their job descriptions often don't require it above a simple level. It depends on what sort of teacher that we are talking about.

Again, what they need is something of the best of what the lawyers get. And so do the kids incidentally. It is a terrible neglect in my mind to hone the skills of high school kids, where they become highly capable in a number of areas, only to let them loose without having any real concept of what the guvment and legal system is all about.

We don't want to produce, "Duh! Just sign in the box" morons. What we want is to churn out people who understand what it is to give due consideration, what informed legal consent is all about, and all with an ability to quickly read through the "terms and conditions" of contracts so they are able to make informed choices.

Dreamon, I tend to disagree with much of what you say.

I don't believe we need to focus on the guvment and the legal system in any proficient high school, which should be tasked rather with producing critical thinkers, with a ability to find and use the information they need at the time they need it!

I mean, take sex education.

If children have a specific question, then only the actual question need to be addressed, and no more or too much information.

High schools should not be places that turn out political activists; inculcated with the extremely narrow political views/misinformation of some political advocates.

All they need to know is how the political system works, and which parties traditionally support which sector of society.

And the fact that voting is and remain compulsory; and a treasured privilege many peoples around the world, are denied!

And that privileges (that hundreds of thousands died, and or sacrificed to protect) are always accompanied by responsibility!

Plenty of time for more in-depth information, when their brains have finished developing, along with the critical evaluation that then confers, along with the more (hopefully, occasionally) mature judgement!?

All they need to know beyond the curriculum; is where they can find the alluded to extracurricular information, when they need it!

Teachers remain trusted custodians of very vulnerable children, and need to focus on numeracy, literacy and those other subjects that will serve their needs for the rest of their lives; rather than a soapbox opportunity to air their personal political views.

If teachers have no numeracy or literacy problems as you claim, then you can't have a problem with a pre classroom examination of same!
Rhrosty.