The Coalition';s education policy puts Australia';s children first. The Coalition believes that every Australian child has the right to a high quality education to give them the skills needed to participate in the society and economy of the 21st century, and the most fundamental of those skills is literacy and numeracy.
We will invest a record amount in Australian schools over the next three years, and focus on providing the pathways for all students to make a successful transition from school to work or further study.
We will address educational disadvantage, provide national leadership in the key areas of curriculum, and continue to improve choice in schooling.
The Coalition';s policy will:
-Increase funding to all schools – government and non-government – reflecting our commitment to securing better standards in education in all areas. -Build on previous apprenticeship initiatives by introducing:
* an extra $750 incentive to employers to encourage them to take on a school based New Apprentice, and;
* a $750 retention bonus for employers who keep on their school based New Apprentice once they complete Year 12.
It is expected that, over four years, up to 30,000 young people will benefit from the extra incentive and that up to 27,000 will be eligible to attract the retention bonus. The measures will cost $40.3 million over four years.
-Expect to secure state and territory reporting to all parents of their child';s skills in literacy and numeracy against national standards.
-Invest $1.4 billion over four years to help educationally disadvantaged students and provide more effective education for students with disabilities. Building on the first measurable improvements in decades in the essential literacy skills of year 3 and 5 students, we will continue to work toward our goal that ALL students achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills.
-Introduce national performance measures in primary science, information technology and vocational education in schools so that all students achieve proficiency in these crucial skills.
-Continue to work toward our national goal that all young people complete year 12 or its vocational equivalent.
-Focus on reform of the senior school curriculum to expand vocational education in schools, to provide quality and relevant education for the 70% of young people not going straight on to university. We will invest $100 million over four years in the Enterprise and Career Education Foundation to promote linkages between schools, business and the community.
-Help indigenous students overcome educational disadvantage and increase vocational opportunities for indigenous students.
The Coalition will continue to improve the standard of Australian schooling and expand the opportunities available to all young Australians.