Fundamental change on the way for education and training

8/7/02
The State Government has taken the first step towards a major overhaul in the delivery of education and training to Western Australia's teenagers.
Education Minister Alan Carpenter and Training Minister John Kobelke today announced that the State Government would aim to break down the barriers between WA schools and TAFE colleges, and improve post-compulsory education and training retention rates.
Some changes to the relationship between the Departments of Education and Training would be implemented immediately, and a five-member committee would be formed to consider more fundamental changes.
The review committee will comprise representatives from the Departments of Education and Training, and will be chaired by Dr Peter Tannock from Notre Dame University.
It will be asked "to review the interface between the Departments of Education and Training to examine the most appropriate means of achieving a coherent and cost-effective strategy to improve the retention of 15 to 19-year-old students in education and training beyond year 10".
The committee will report back to Ministers Carpenter and Kobelke, who in turn will report to Cabinet before the end of this year.
In the meantime, several initiatives would be implemented across the education and training sectors, including:

• improved access for schools to TAFE college facilities;
• expanded professional development for school teachers delivering vocational education and training; and
• an expansion of school based traineeships, including the highly successful Aboriginal School Based Traineeship program.

"The school sector and our TAFE colleges have been operating side-by-side for years, both doing a good job in their own areas of expertise," Mr Kobelke said.
"But the system is letting our teenagers down. It is forcing them to choose between academic study in school and vocational study at TAFE, when they should be able to do both."
Mr Kobelke said the upcoming review had the potential to change the way we think about education and training in this State.
Mr Carpenter said he believed the historic separation of the State's schools and TAFE colleges was a major factor in Western Australia's disappointingly low post-compulsory retention rates.
"It's time we had a long hard look at the relationship between the two sectors, and found ways to make the education and training mix more accessible, more relevant and more flexible," he said.
"We need to make it as easy and attractive as possible for our children and young adults to remain in formal education and training until they have enough skills to carry them into worthwhile and rewarding careers.
"The immediate initiatives and the upcoming review are the first steps towards increasing the relevance and availability of education and training to Western Australia's 15 to 19-year olds.
"At the moment only about 60 per cent of students in Government schools remain in formal education until the end of Year 12. We want to raise that figure to 90 per cent.
"There is still a long way to go, but we have set the wheels in motion for fundamental change."
Today's announcement comes two weeks after the decision by the State Government to pay $100 towards annual school fees for all children attending Government high schools.
Media contacts:
Minister Carpenter's office: 9213 6800
Minister Kobelke's office: 9222 9211