Well, as a former EQ teacher I'll let the 'former' in that title tell my opinion of the state system.

As for universities, I wouldn't be so quick to defend UQ. It has wonderful facilities, a beautiful setting and a terrific ability to rest on its laurels. Where Griffith and QUT have come ahead in leaps and bounds, UQ has sat smugly in its idealistic little world using its reputation to buy research funding and students.

I once studied law at QUT, not because I didn't get into UQ but because after extensive research I came to the conclusion that the UQ program was a tired one - great for meeting influential people, terrible for building skills. When I went into teaching, Griffith was my choice and I am eternally grateful for that fact. While UQ does produce the occasional gem (or, probably more likely, fail to destroy a gem), when I worked in a school with a high staff turnover (EQ, of course), it was easy to pick the UQ graduates by their complete ineptitude and detachment from the real world of schooling.

To be honest, I'd point much of the blame for the quality of school education in QLD squarely at UQ, its failure to prepare graduates and its propagation of a UQ old boys' club at the middle and top end of the EQ hierarchy.

By the way, returning to the thrust of the original post:

I don't think the issue is solely about VCE scores being delayed by a day. I think it is more about the way teachers are so frequently isolated from the information they need to do their jobs. If Victorian schools are run as ineptly as Queensland schools, then I understand.

In my last school, teachers were given information on a 'need-to-know' basis, but the people who decided who needs to know were clearly dullards. Important information (a kid's mother has just died, the child has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, the student has severe anger management issues and may snap at any moment) is withheld. So we read 'Stop All The Clocks' in English, or make predictions about the workplaces students will enjoy in the future in Futures, or are totally bewildered when a student brutally bashes another for not lending him a pencil. We are asked to reflect on our pedagogy in light of our students' performance, but are denied access to information about how our students have performed.

I think that may be more the thrust of the original post.

I could be wrong.

Otokonoko:

Thanks for providing us with extra insights in this discussion. It's most helpful to learn from someone who's actually experienced things first hand. Much appreciated - gives a different slant on things!

No you are not wrong Otokonoko. That's why I started this discussion. Bronwyn thought I am talking about one or one an a half day. NO NO NO people try to think more in depth. Bronwyn listed some of the things that affect the learning of our students and Bronwyn didn't realize that I can list 50 more. But imagine Bronwyn if you are a teacher and you want access to the results which absolutely belong to you coz you are running the school and you are told that you are not allowed to get them till tomorrow when the students get them. Well if you don't get offended that's fine, but I can tell you that 70% of the teachers got offended and you know what they were telling me? well from now on we don't care about those kids as long as the school doesn't care about them by not giving us the information that we have been waiting for as part of our duty of care so we are not going to teach the same way next year as we were teaching this year. You don't trust me, I don't trust you.

In contrast, within the private system, the Year's Co-Ordinator or appointed staff member, contacts the primary carer or parent on a student's file to notify them within an hour of being absent on the same day.

One of the benefits of paying those exorbitantly high private school fees.

Next, a note is requested as to the reason/excuse for that student missing 'one' day of education.

No following up existed when my daughter attended a public high school despite a dozen more clerical staff and more teachers employed than the private high school my son attends.

The previous comments directed to Antiseptic regarding his childrens absences and not being notified.