NEW CONCERNS AND ORIENTATIONS
2.4 THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOLING TO WORK The nature o f the problem
E a r l y s c h o o l - l e a v e r s are drawn
p a r t i c u l a r l y from disadvantaged groups i n our s o c i e t y and the key aspect o f t a c k l i n g disadvantage i s t o remedy t h i s s i t u a t i o n . (65)
(2) E q u a l i t y o f o p p o r t u n i t y cannot be
achieved by e d u c a t i o n a l p o l i c i e s alone.
A concerted and c o - o r d i n a t e d e f f o r t by many experts and a d m i n i s t r a t o r s i s r e q u i r e d t o o f f s e t the h i t h e r t o
fragmented a p p l i c a t i o n o f resources and e f f o r t . Compensatory education alone j u s t does n o t work and t h e r e i s an urgent need f o r new s t r u c t u r e s t h a t w i l l b r i n g t o g e t h e r people and resources from d i f f e r e n t gov- ernment departments and v o l u n t a r y agencies.
2.4 THE TRANSITION FROM SCHOOLING TO WORK
I n consequence high schools and d i s t r i c t schools must be d i r e c t l y concerned w i t h the way i n which t h e i r students are subsequently able t o enter the labour f o r c e . The problem i s , o f course, wider than t h i s and there are problems o f t r a n s i t i o n
to work which are the p a r t i c u l a r concern o f t e r t i a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s , secondary c o l l e g e s and the i n s t i t u t i o n s of t e c h n i c a l and f u r t h e r education.
In Tasmania we have unashamedly accepted the need f o r secondary schools t o o f f e r a general r a t h e r than a v o c a t i o n a l education. However, one o f the u n a n t i c i p a t e d consequences o f t h i s o r i e n t a t i o n seems t o have been a c e r t a i n l a c k of i n t e r e s t by the school i n the w o r l d o f work and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , the experiences o f students d u r i n g the e a r l y years a f t e r l e a v i n g school. What i s happening now i s t h a t schools are coming t o r e a l i z e t h a t the two stages i n l i f e cannot be seen as c l e a r l y marked o f f from each o t h e r . The courses which a student takes a t school, the stage a t which a student decides t o leave school, the person he or she i s on completion o f
secondary education and the knowledge the student has about the w o r l d of.work have a c o n t i n u i n g e f f e c t on the student's l i f e . Consequently, i n Tasmania we now see t h a t schools need t o be b e t t e r informed about the student's subsequent experience and t o c o n t r i b u t e t o reducing the problems o f t r a n s i t i o n . Present problems w i t h t r a n s i t i o n
There seems t o the Committee t o be a very r e a l danger o f confusion between the p a r t i c u l a r problems associated w i t h unemployment among young people and the longer-term problems associated w i t h the t r a n s - i t i o n between s c h o o l i n g and work. The O.b.C.D.
Examiners have p o i n t e d out: T r a n s i t i o n problems are not n e c e s s a r i l y overcome when everyone who leaves the education system f i n d s a j o b o f some
s o r t very q u i c k l y . " (68) One o f the l o n g e r - t e r m problems i s " c r e d e n t i a l i s m " - the r a i s i n g o f the
e d u c a t i o n a l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s r e q u i r e d by employers f o r p a r t i c u l a r jobs even though the content o f those jobs has not changed. As suggested by the O.E.C.D. Examiners t h i s not only r e s u l t s i n i n e f f i c i e n c y b u t i n personal unhappiness f o r those " w i t h i n t r i n s i c a l l y adequate e d u c a t i o n a l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s ( i n ) f i n d i n g jobs or
h o l d i n g the ones they have." (69) A f u r t h e r d y s f u n c t i o n i s i n the c u r r e n t p r o v i s i o n s f o r c o u n s e l l i n g and t r a n s i t i o n s e r v i c e s . These have been w i d e l y c r i t i c i s e d and i t can be suggested t h a t
"young people l e a v i n g school do not r e c e i v e adequate i n f o r m a t i o n or guidance to prepare them t o make a d e c i s i o n about t h e i r c a r e e r s . " (70)
There i s one fundamental aspect o f t h i s s u b j e c t which the Committee wishes t o express
i n very s t r o n g terms. I t i s c l e a r t h a t a t present some important changes i n A u s t r a l i a ' s o c c u p a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e are t a k i n g place and there i s a problem of unemployment among young people t h a t i t i s q u i t e beyond the powers o f t h e school t o s o l v e .
The Committee accepts t h a t " d e c i s i o n s on o c c u p a t i o n a l choices should be l e s s haphazard, and the process of t r a n s i t i o n smoother, than appears t o be the case at p r e s e n t . " (71) But schools are not r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the s t r u c t u r a l changes which u n d e r l i e the present s i t u a t i o n and they do n o t accept being h e l d t o account f o r i t . The best career education and c o u n s e l l i n g and the most j o b - o r i e n t e d c u r r i c u l u m w i l l not help secure a smooth t r a n s i t i o n t o work i f jobs are n o t a v a i l a b l e . I n t h i s s e c t i o n o f the Report the
Committee has made s t r o n g recommendations about career education, p r o v i d i n g support f o r students i n the t r a n s i t i o n p e r i o d and c o n t r i b u t i n g t o c o - o r d i n - a t i n g s t r u c t u r e s d i r e c t e d towards the major problems i n the f i e l d . But t h e u n d e r l y i n g problems can o n l y be overcome by a major review o f the d i r e c t i o n s which s o c i a l and economic trends are t a k i n g and by t h e accep- tance by the A u s t r a l i a n s o c i e t y o f the need f o r reforms t h a t w i l l improve employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r
young people. (72) We should be r e a l i s t i c about what can be achieved through career education, no matter how w e l l - c o n c e i v e d and generously p r o v i d e d w i t h resources. We should n o t emphasize the moral b e n e f i t s o f work i f there are no jobs f o r many
students or i f the n a t u r e o f some jobs i s degrading.
We should not presume e n t r y t o career ladders since only about a q u a r t e r o f our students w i l l enter jobs w i t h s e c u r i t y and p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f advancement.
The e f f e c t o f a changing o c c u p a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e
In any d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e employment o p p o r t u n i t i e s of young people i t i s v i t a l l y important t o d i s t i n g u i s h the e f f e c t s o f c y c l i c a l unemployment t o which s o l u t i o n s are conceivable i n the long-term w i t h i n present
s t r u c t u r e s from the e f f e c t s o f s t r u c t u r a l changes i n employment which can o n l y be overcome i f there are
changes i n s o c i a l and employment p o l i c i e s . I n Tasmania we can p o i n t t o the dramatic r e d u c t i o n i n farm jobs
over the past g e n e r a t i o n and the consequent m i g r a t i o n of young people t o urban areas. (73) F u r t h e r , the
Tasmanian economy i s not growing r a p i d l y and a continued m i g r a t i o n o f young people t o other s t a t e s i n a search
f o r b e t t e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s can be a n t i c i p a t e d . (74) For A u s t r a l i a as a whole an absolute d e c l i n e i n vacan- cies f o r u n s k i l l e d workers and a slowing o f the employment growth r a t e i n manufacturing i n d u s t r y have been p r e d i c t e d . (75)
There has been a r a p i d increase i n the Labour f o r c e p a r t i c i p a t i o n of married women and t h i s i s " p a r t i c u l a r l y i n the k i n d of jobs i n which they are c o m p e t i t i v e w i t h the less w e l l q u a l i - f i e d school l e a v e r s . " (.76) The conclusion of the O.E.C.D. Examiners was t h a t f u t u r e prospects f o r the employment of young people are not b r i g h t . In the s h o r t - t e r m the present high l e v e l s of unemployment seem l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e . Even when there i s recovery i n economic a c t i v i t y " unemployed young people are l i k e l y t o be absorbed more s l o w l y than more experienced a d u l t workers." (77)
On the basis of the w r i t t e n and o r a l evidence presented t o us, we endorse t h i s r a t h e r gloomy
p r o g n o s t i c a t i o n . I t i s w i t h i n such a c o n t e x t , we b e l i e v e , t h a t the problems of t r a n s i t i o n from school to work must be s t u d i e d and w i t h i n which p o l i c i e s f o r the next decade must be planned. (78)
Unemployment among young people
The very high l e v e l s of unemployment among school leavers and other young people i n A u s t r a l i a and, p a r t i c u l a r l y , i n Tasmania concern the Committee very g r e a t l y . The Committee i s aware t h a t , given our s o c i e t y ' s values and e x p e c t a t i o n s , most i n d i - v i d u a l s w i l l regard themselves as having l o s t human d i g n i t y i f subjected t o extended unemployment. The Committee i s concerned about the long-term e f f e c t s of unemployment on the i n d i v i d u a l s concerned and on our community as a whole.
The Committee welcomes the i n i t i a t i v e s which are c u r r e n t l y being taken t o develop support
s t r u c t u r e s f o r the young unemployed i n Tasmania and warmly endorses the a l l o c a t i o n of resources which the education system i s making t o these i n i t i a t i v e s . Again, the t r a n s i t i o n problems of i n d i v i d u a l students can be eased through a p p r o p r i a t e c o u n s e l l i n g and the general awareness of students about the w o r l d o f work and the p o s s i b i l i t y of unemployment can be increased.
However, the Committee considers t h a t s h o r t - t e r m measures are not the major response v/hich the
education system can make t o the present s i t u a t i o n . I t i s also necessary t o look t o long-term s o l u t i o n s . Many of these are o u t s i d e the competence of the
education system though we b e l i e v e t h a t educators should be i n v o l v e d i n the development of s o c i a l and emnloyment p o l i c y .
The d i s t i n c t i v e r o l e o f the educator however i s i n the c r e a t i o n o f new combinations o f work and
education f o r young people a f t e r they have completed the p e r i o d o f compulsory education. The O.E.C.D.
Examiners reached a s i m i l a r c o n c l u s i o n :
The r e a l s o l u t i o n t o the problem o f long term youth unemployment must, we b e l i e v e , l i e w i t h more e f f e c t i v e arrangements f o r education and t r a i n i n g i n the l i g h t o f the job o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t are l i k e l y t o
be a v a i l a b l e when economic growth resumes. (79) The p a r t i c u l a r problems o f e a r l y school-leavers
The Committee has r e c e i v e d evidence about the post-school experience and prospects o f students who have l e f t school before completing the p e r i o d of compulsory education.(80) I t i s apparent t h a t e a r l y l e a v i n g has c o n t i n u i n g consequences t h a t are l i k e l y t o reduce permanently the l i f e - chances o f the i n d i v i d u a l . The choices which
e a r l y leavers are able t o make about t h e i r l i f e are more l i m i t e d than those o f other s t u d e n t s . Early-
leavers are more l i k e l y t o be unemployed or t o f i n d themselves i n j o b sequences t h a t are not s a t i s f y i n g and l a c k any f u t u r e . E a r l y school-leavers have g e n e r a l l y l i k e d school l e s s than other students and i t seems probable t h a t they are less l i k e l y than others to take o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r second-chance l e a r n i n g .
The Committee considers t h a t p r i n c i p a l s and teachers should see the wish o f a student t o leave before the end o f Year 10 as a danger s i g n a l and should be aware of the l i k e l y consequences f o r those who do leave e a r l y .
I t i s i n the c o n t e x t o f t h i s evidence about e a r l y leavers t h a t the Committee has considered the question o f compulsory education. The Committee supports the e x i s t i n g p r o v i s i o n s f o r compulsory education and accepts t h a t , i n some circumstances, i t w i l l be necessary t o exempt students as p r o v i d e d i n the Education A c t . However, the Committee would see every exemption as a sign t h a t the i n d i v i d u a l i s a t r i s k and support such a p o l i c y only on two assumptions:
(1) t h a t t h e r e i s r e c o g n i t i o n i n the c u r r i c u l u m and i n career education o f the needs of e a r l y s c h o o l - l e a v e r s ; and
(2) t h a t t h e r e should not be a sharp break between s c h o o l i n g and the subsequent experience o f the i n d i v i d u a l but a t r a n s i t i o n n e r i o d , such as t h a t c a l l e d f o r the A.s.e. Report f o r 1976-1978. (81)
The Committee i s aware o f the arguments i n favour o f reducing the p e r i o d o f compulsory education and recognizes t h a t e x i s t i n g l e g a l p r o v i s i o n s make i t p o s s i b l e f o r many students t o leave before completing year 10. However, the Committee considers t h a t t o reduce t h e p e r i o d of compulsory education would have adverse
consequences f o r disadvantaged groups o f students and would lead t o g r e a t e r i n e q u a l i t i e s i n educat- i o n a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n than a t present.
I t i s apparent t h a t t h e r e i s a r e l a t i o n s h i p between e a r l y l e a v i n g and the experience o f school so t h a t many o f those who leave e a r l y are low- a c h i e v i n g or under-achieving students and students who l i k e school less than o t h e r s . The Committee considers t h a t the present c u r r i c u l u m i s inadequate i n t h a t i t seems n e i t h e r r e l e v a n t nor s a t i s f y i n g to these s t u d e n t s . The p r a c t i c e o f r e q u i r i n g a l l students t o study basic s u b j e c t s f o r s e v e r a l p e r i o d s each week may n o t be the r i g h t s o r t o f e d u c a t i o n . Part o f t h i s relevance l i e s i n t h e achievement o f a basic competence i n l i t e r a c y and numeracy b u t the Committee i s n o t prepared t o accept t h a t a l l students should be brought up t o a pre-determined l e v e l before being able t o leave. (82)
The view o f the Committee i s t h a t schools should give low-achieving students experience o f basic s k i l l s i n a s a t i s f y i n g p r a c t i c a l s i t u a t i o n
i n which, f o r example, w r i t i n g i s r e l a t e d t o experiences undertaken i n the course. I n one high school a
c h i l d - c a r e program o f f e r s students a range o f courses, many i n p r a c t i c a l s i t u a t i o n s and gives students some s t a t u s a t the end ( i n c l u d i n g a c e r t i f i c a t e from t h e s c h o o l ) , thus emphasizing the worth o f the program.
There i s a considerable need t o develop o t h e r s i m i l a r courses. Our i n d u s t r i a l a r t s teachers have a
p a r t i c u l a r r o l e t o p l a y i n the development o f courses t h a t are b r o a d l y conceived as g i v i n g an understanding of technology and s k i l l s o f general value o f modern l i f e and thus c o n t r i b u t i n g t o general education r a t h e r than t o p r e - v o c a t i o n a l education.
The Committee also wishes t o s t r e s s the p a r t i c u l a r importance o f career education f o r students who may leave school e a r l y . This should be aimed a t conveying an awareness o f t h e importance of s k i l l s i n work-
s i t u a t i o n s and a t developing an understanding o f the w o r l d o f work, i n c l u d i n g the r e a l i t y t h a t t h e r e may n o t be a j o b a v a i l a b l e and t h a t t h i s i s n o t t h e f a u l t o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l .
F i n a l l y , the Committee wishes t o r e i t e r a t e i t s view t h a t l e a v i n g school should not be seen as a f i n a l and d e c i s i v e break w i t h education i n s t i t u t i o n s . New p a t t e r n s o f experience t h a t i n v o l v e elements of both work and school are needed, e s p e c i a l l y f o r students who have had t o leave school b e f o r e the end o f Year 10 and have found f u l l - t i m e
employment i n u n s k i l l e d or s e m i - s k i l l e d work.
Such young people need t o be provided w i t h
o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o a c q u i r e w o r k - r e l a t e d s k i l l s and t o be given b e t t e r chances f o r work t h a t o f f e r s s e c u r i t y , s t a b i l i t y and a f u t u r e .
I n i t i a t i v e s i n the area of s c h o o l i n g and work 1. The r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f the school
The Committee accepts the view t h a t an
important r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f schools i s t o prepare students f o r e n t r y t o the labour f o r c e . Perhaps the key p a r t of t h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s t o be
i n t e r e s t e d i n and w e l l informed about the subse- quent experience of s t u d e n t s , e s p e c i a l l y those who have had to leave school e a r l y . I t has been
suggested t o the Committee t h a t the i n i t i a t i o n of support f o r school l e a v e r s w i l l very l a r g e l y be a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f educators and t h a t no o t h e r agency or group, such as employers, w i l l be as i n t e r e s t e d as the school i n t h i s group of young
people. I f so, an e x t e n s i o n of the present concerns of p r i n c i p a l s and teachers w i l l be r e q u i r e d .
One of the views emphasized by the Schools Commission i n i t s 1976-1978 r e p o r t , r e l a t e s t o
the boundary between s c h o o l i n g and l a t e r experience.
For those who leave school and go d i r e c t l y i n t o employment a t the end o f compulsory s c h o o l i n g or e a r l i e r , the Committee considers t h a t t h i s boundary should be much less c l e a r l y drawn. (83) At the a d m i n i s t r a t i v e l e v e l the i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h i s view have been c l e a r l y i d e n t i f i e d by the O.E.C.D. Examiners
The most i m p o r t a n t ' t r a n s i t i o n ' we were examining i s i n essence a t r a n s i t i o n from the primary r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the education a u t h o r i t i e s t o what we b e l i e v e should be the j o i n t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the education and employment a u t h o r i t i e s . Unless
r e l a t i o n s h i p s between the two bodies are strong and unless t h e i r p o l i c i e s are
coordinated any problems of t r a n s i t i o n are l i k e l y t o be exacerbated. (84)
2. General education and the t r a n s i t i o n t o work Later i n t h i s r e p o r t the Committee takes up the t e n s i o n between the general and p r e ^ v o c a t i o n a l p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f the secondary c u r r i c u l u m . (85) Here i t i s only necessary t o i n d i c a t e t h a t the
Committee sees career education and the development of b a s i c s k i l l s as t a k i n g place as p a r t o f t h e t o t a l process o f education and i n a general
education program. However, i t accepts t h a t some change o f emphasis i n the e d u c a t i o n a l program i s r e q u i r e d . The dilemma f o r schools i s t h a t t h e r e i s a t e n s i o n between developing the competencies r e q u i r e d by students and a v o i d i n g d e c i s i o n s t h a t w i l l l i m i t t h e choices a student can make about h i s
f u t u r e , f o r example o f s u c c e s s f u l l y completing H.S.C. s t u d i e s . (86) The Committee accepts t h a t d e c i s i o n s made about secondary students or by them have consequences t h a t are p a r t i c u l a r l y damaging but recommends t h a t i n d i v i d u a l students should
be able t o f o l l o w study u n i t s i n Year 10 t h a t w i l l sharpen p a r t i c u l a r competencies r e q u i r e d i n t h e labour market.
3. Career education
The Committee accepts t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e M i l l i g a n Working Party t h a t "career education i s considered t o be a long-term process i n v o l v i n g knowledge o f s e l f , the w o r l d o f work and t h e
development, o f decision-making and p l a n n i n g s k i l l s " ( 8 7 ) and considers t h a t education about work i s an
important p a r t o f the e d u c a t i o n a l program o f second- ary schools. P r i n c i p l e s u n d e r l y i n g career education should i n c l u d e the f o l l o w i n g :
(a) Career education should be i n t e g r a t e d i n t o the c u r r i c u l u m and should n o t be seen as a new s u b j e c t . At p r e s e n t , S o c i a l Science u n i t s are an i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f career education and t h e
Committee would support such p r o v i s i o n s and seek t h e i r extension i n t o o t h e r s u b j e c t s , i n c l u d i n g i n d u s t r i a l a r t s . (b) Career education i s an aspect o f the
secondary program t h a t the Committee sees i n developmental terms and n o t as a t o p i c c o n f i n e d t o the f i n a l year of a student's school career or t o Year IU s t u d e n t s . (88)
(c) Career education should be aware o f t h e danger o f c o n c e n t r a t i n g on w h i t e - c o l l a r jobs and the s k i l l e d trades and s t r e s s the worth o f a l l forms o f l a b o u r .
Consistent w i t h these p r i n c i p l e s , t h e Committee seeks the p r o v i s i o n o f career education through a
sequence o f experiences developed from Years 8 t o 10.
Guidelines f o r such a program need t o be prepared f o r schools.
The Committee considers t h a t present e f f o r t s t o give secondary students an understanding o f the w o r l d of work and a knowledge both o f t h e range o f jobs and of how t o conduct a j o b search do n o t meet t h e needs of a s u f f i c i e n t p r o p o r t i o n o f secondary s t u d e n t s .
The Committee considers t h a t t h e p r i n c i p a l
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r career education should r e s t w i t h the secondary school. (89) Career education i s seen t o be an area where schools w i l l need a d d i t i o n a l resources.
The Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t each secondary school should have a member or members o f s t a f f t o c a r r y out the f o l l o w i n g t a s k s :
* t o give guidance about school courses a p p r o p r i a t e t o p a r t i c u l a r v o c a t i o n a l a s p i r a t i o n s ;
* t o feed a l l s o r t s o f i n f o r m a t i o n about the w o r l d o f work i n t o the school;
* t o organize work-experience programs;
* t o help some students a c t u a l l y get a j o b ; and
* t o f o l l o w - u p s c h o o l - l e a v e r s , e s p e c i a l l y those who have been granted exemptions.
The Committee i s aware t h a t , i n some S t a t e s , f u l l - time careers teachers have been appointed t o some schools and considers t h a t t h e a l l o c a t i o n o f s t a f f t o secondary schools should p r o v i d e f o r t h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y .
However, the Committee considers t h a t t h e r e i s a considerable value i n such a r o l e being exercised by
those w i t h some teaching r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . I t emphasizes the importance o f s e l e c t i o n o f s t a f f ( i n which the
experience o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n occupations other than teaching would seem r e l e v a n t ) and o f the p r o v i s i o n o f a p p r o p r i a t e teacher development programs.
While t h e Committee wishes t o see the school accept a g r e a t e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r career e d u c a t i o n , i t
recognizes the s u p p o r t i n g r o l e o f other agencies such as the Commonwealth Employment Service. The Committee has noted t h a t the Department o f Labour and I n d u s t r i a l
R e l a t i o n s , i n i t s evidence t o the O.E.C.D. Examiners, welcomed the increased r o l e schools were beginning t o
Play i n t h i s area and saw i t s own r o l e as " s u p p o r t i v e " . (90)
4• Work experience programs
The Committee recognizes the value o f work experience programs and wishes t o encourage t h e i r f u r t h e r development. However, the Committee sees
the value o f t h i s experience as being i n i t s
c o n t r i b u t i o n t o the t o t a l education of the i n d i v i d u a l and not as the p r i n c i p a l way by which a student w i l l be able t o e x e r c i s e a v o c a t i o n a l choice. This view i s shared by the O.E.C.D. Examiners:
Their main purpose i s , or should be, t o
help c h i l d r e n t o r e l a t e t h e i r school experiences to the w o r l d i n which t h e i r parents l i v e , which they see and hear discussed i n the media and i n which they themselves w i l l have to l i v e . They can also help acquaint students w i t h working c o n d i t i o n s i n at l e a s t a l i m i t e d range o f j o b s . (91)
The Committee i s aware of the problems o f
c o - o r d i n a t i o n i n t h i s area and welcomes the approach t h a t has been already adopted of a p p o i n t i n g a s t a t e - w i d e
c o - o r d i n a t o r . This i s an area of very s e n s i t i v e n e g o t i a t i o n and much could be l o s t i f schools f a i l t o work i n a co-
o r d i n a t e d way and overload the resources t h a t are made a v a i l a b l e .
The Committee recognizes t h a t such schemes must be l i m i t e d i n scope and not a l l students w i l l be able t o p a r t i c i p a t e . I t b e l i e v e s t h a t disadvantaged students
should be given p r i o r i t y i n such schemes.
As i n d i c a t e d by the M i l l i g a n Working P a r t y : work experience schemes are not a panacea f o r the problems of t r a n s i t i o n from school t o work.
Nevertheless they c o n s t i t u t e a u s e f u l means o f i n t r o d u c i n g secondary students t o the w o r l d o f work, and c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e i r personal
development. They may also a s s i s t the employer t o gain a b e t t e r understanding of youth and o f t h e i r a t t i t u d e s towards l i f e and work. (92) 5. New combinations of work and education
E a r l i e r i n t h i s s e c t i o n of the r e p o r t we
emphasized the view t h a t the t r a n s i t i o n from s c h o o l i n g to work i s a process and not an event. Consistent w i t h t h i s view the Committee wishes t o support the p r o g r e s s i v e development o f new p r o v i s i o n s which combine p r a c t i c a l , w o r k - o r i e n t e d a c t i v i t i e s w i t h c o n t i n u i n g study. (93)
The O.E.C.D. Examiners have also c a l l e d f o r : s t r u c t u r e d e d u c a t i o n a l and t r a i n i n g experience to about the age of 18. We are r e f e r r i n g i n p a r t i c u l a r t o the p o s s i b i l i t y of combining s t r u c t u r e d education or t r a i n i n g courses i n e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s and on the j o b , and we f e e l i t important t h a t this be regarded not o n l y as a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the education and employ- ment a u t h o r i t i e s , but of i n d u s t r y - employers and unions as agents of s o c i e t y as w e l l . (94)
The Committee sees t h e g r e a t e s t need as
p r o v i d i n g f o r students who have l e f t school before the end o f the compulsory p e r i o d o f education.
For such s t u d e n t s , t h e r e should be a p e r i o d o f t r a n s i t i o n i n which work i s seen as a l e a r n i n g experience and i n which a combination o f p a r t - t i m e education and p a r t - t i m e work i s a v a i l a b l e . I n t h i s p e r i o d , the Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t i t should be a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f employers t o i n c l u d e an element o f l e a r n i n g f o r young workers and t o themselves accept a teaching r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r some o f the basic s k i l l s and knowledge r e q u i r e d by work s i t u a t i o n s . The improvement o f work s i t u a t i o n s i s one o f the s t r a t e g i e s t h a t should be f o s t e r e d i n any program o f improving t h e t r a n s i t i o n from s c h o o l i n g t o work. (95)
6. S t r u c t u r e s f o r improved c o n s u l t a t i o n
For the Committee one o f the most important needs to emerge i n t h i s area i s improved c o n s u l t a t i o n between employing a u t h o r i t i e s and education a u t h o r i t i e s . Both the O.E.C.D. Examiners and the M i l l i g a n Working P a r t y have made suggestions along these l i n e s w h i l e the
f o l l o w i n g recommendation o f the Poverty I n q u i r y i s accepted by the Committee:
The M i n i s t e r f o r Education i n each State (should) e s t a b l i s h a permanent c o n s u l t a t i v e committee, t o i n c l u d e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s from e d u c a t i o n , i n d u s t r y , s o c i a l w e l f a r e , r e c r e a t i o n and other r e l e v a n t areas to study the process o f t r a n s i t i o n from school t o work and from adolescence t o adulthood, t o f a c i l i t a c o - o p e r a t i o n between departments and o r g a n i s a t i o n s concerned w i t h the process, and t o encourage
e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n and e v a l u a t i o n i n t h i s c r i t i c a l area. (96)
Recurrent education
The Committee holds the view t h a t education i s a l i f e - l o n g process b u t t h a t , because o f changes i n s o c i e t and the i m p l i c a t i o n s o f these f o r i n d i v i d u a l s , i t w i l l , become i n c r e a s i n g l y necessary f o r people t o r e t u r n
p e r i o d i c a l l y t o l e a r n i n g i n s t i t u t i o n s f o r f u r t h e r study.
A c c o r d i n g l y , the Committee accepts the importance o f r e c u r r e n t education and supports the development o f second-chance education p r o v i d i n g f o r those who want f u r t h e r secondary e d u c a t i o n . The Committee sees second chance education as a p o t e n t i a l s o l u t i o n t o some o f the problems o f t r a n s i t i o n from school t o other a c t i v i t i e s .
The Committee considers t h a t t h e r e are s e v e r a l a l t e r n a t e places i n which r e c u r r e n t and second-chance education might be o f f e r e d . The e x i s t i n g secondary colleges and t e c h n i c a l c o l l e g e s and the developing community c o l l e g e s are o f c e n t r a l importance. Other needs w i l l best be met o u t s i d e formal i n s t i t u t i o n s -
i n a d u l t education programs, e x t e r n a l - s t u d i e s s e r v i c e s
or i n an i n f o r m a l group o f a d u l t students s t u d y i n g t o g e t h e r . For some needs, however, the Committee considers t h a t our secondary schools have an i m p o r t a n t s e r v i c e t o o f f e r .
A f u l l examination o f the whole area o f r e c u r r e n t education i s c l e a r l y beyond the terms o f r e f e r e n c e o f t h i s Committee. Nevertheless, i t i s c l e a r t h a t the
f i r s t p r i o r i t y a t the present time i s t o make p r o v i s i o n s f o r those students who wish t o r e t u r n t o complete a f u l l education a t secondary l e v e l . P r i o r i t y should also be given t o the e n t r y o f disadvantaged groups i n t o f u r t h e r education. As i n d i c a t e d by the Poverty I n q u i r y t h i s w i l l r e q u i r e the c r e a t i o n o f new o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r
l e a r n i n g through d i v e r s e and f l e x i b l e approaches which are l i n k e d t o i n d i v i d u a l needs. (97)
In t h i s r e s p e c t , i t i s r e l e v a n t t o r e f e r t o the major b a r r i e r t o p a r t i c i p a t i o n a t present: the i n a b i l i t y of o l d e r students t o support themselves f i n a n c i a l l y on r e - e n t r y t o f u l l - t i m e education.
The Committee wishes t o encourage p r i n c i p a l s t o respond t o the needs o f students f o r second-chance
education and t o make p r o v i s i o n s f o r them t o be admitted to the school when t h i s i s sought. The Committee
considers t h a t f o r some students the secondary school may be the best venue f o r t h e i r second-chance l e a r n i n g and i f they seek admission they should n o t be r e -
d i r e c t e d t o other i n s t i t u t i o n s .
REFERENCES
1 Frank Musgrove and P . H . T a y l o r , Society and the Teacher's Role (.London: Routledge and Kegan P a u l , 1 9 6 9 ) , p p . 1-2.
2 T o r s t e n Husen, The Learning Society (London:
Methuen, 1 9 7 4 ) , p . 224 .
3 Submission t o the Committee by t h e Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n , p . " 4 .
4 Statement on "Autonomy and D i v e r s i t y " made t o t h e Committee by the D i r e c t o r a t e o f Schools and C o l l e g e s .
5 N . G. C u r r y , Moral Standards and Religious Education . Address g i v e n a t the 1975 Conference o f t h e
A u s t r a l i a n High School P r i n c i p a l ' s A s s o c i a t i o n , p . 4 . 6 P e t e r L a n g , Consultant's Report t o the Committee,
1976, p . 9.
7 See S e c t i o n 1.4 and Chapter 4 .
8 Great B r i t a i n . Department o f E d u c a t i o n and S c i e n c e , Children and t h e i r Primary Schools: a r e p o r t o f the Central Advisory Council f o r Education ( E n g l a n d ) . V o l . I :
The R e p o r t , Chairman: Lady Plowden (London: HMSO, 1 9 6 7 ) , p p . 3 4 - 3 6 .
9 H a r r y L . Dodson and Fran M. Broadby, Student Decision- making i n Tasmanian Secondary Schools ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department o f Tasmania, Research B r a n c h , 1 9 7 6 ) ,
p . 4 .
10 The School i n Society Report drew a t t e n t i o n t o the decreasing importance o f the neighbourhood
community (paras. 41, 4 2 ) . I n some country towns, the feeder area o f the h i g h school may be a geographic and economic e n t i t y but most urban h i g h schools draw t h e i r p u p i l s from an a r t i f i c i a l l y - b o u n d e d s l i c e o f a c o n t i n u o u s l y b u i l t - u p area. Consequently, the extent t o which urban h i g h schools can be neighbour- hood schools i s s t r i c t l y l i m i t e d by the nature o f modern communities. When we r e f e r t o the "school community", or "community and s c h o o l " we a r e , i n most s i t u a t i o n s , r e f e r r i n g t o a community c o n s i s t i n g of s t a f f , p u p i l s , parents and o t h e r members o f t h e p u b l i c using the school. The "community" i s the group w i t h a common i n t e r e s t i n the school and a
shared involvement as users o f the school's resources.
11 A u s t r a l i a . Schools Commission, Report for the
Triennium 1976-78. (Canberra: AGPS, 1975), p. 112.
12 The Committee conducted a survey o f a l l Tasmanian h i g h schools and d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s i n 1976. Evidence f r o m t h i s source i s c i t e d as f o l l o w s : Survey o f Secondary Education,
Q u e s t i o n s Q2.
13 Dodson and Broadby, Student Decision-Making, p.16.
14 Note Section 1.4 of t h i s Report.
15 Ron T. Fitzgerald, e t . a l . , 1976, "Secondary Students a t R i s k i n Tasmania", Consultants Report to the
Committee ( H o b a r t ; 19 76, mimeographed), p p . 9 - 1 0 . 16 Submission t o the Committee by the Rokeby A c t i o n
Group, p . 1 0 .
17 W. L . B r o w n , L i b r a r i e s i n Schools, Colleges and the Community. A Report t o the Tasmanian M i n i s t e r
f o r E d u c a t i o n ( H o b a r t : S t a t e L i b r a r y o f Tasmania, 1976).
18 Commission o f I n q u i r y i n t o P o v e r t y , F i f t h Main R e p o r t , Poverty and Education i n A u s t r a l i a .
Commissioner: R . T . F i t z g e r a l d . ( C a n b e r r a : AGPS, 1 9 7 6 ) .
19 A m a j o r aim o f the R . T . F i t z g e r a l d c o n s u l t a n c y was t o a i d i n t h i s t a s k .
20 Tasmania. E d u c a t i o n Department, The Educational Needs o f Rural Areas: r e p o r t o f the committee on educational needs o f r u r a l areas. C h a i r m a n : R . F . S c o t t . ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department o f Tasmania, 1 9 7 1 ) , p . 1 9 .
21 F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 83.
22 I b i d , p.88.
23 C f . Tim McMullen, "The ' L o w e r ' Secondary Stage:
problems and p o s s i b i l i t i e s . " D r a f t r e p o r t f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l s e m i n a r on Compulsory Secondary Education:
problems and p o s s i b i l i t i e s ( P a r i s : O . E . C . D . , 1 9 7 6 ) . 24 I b i d , p . 4 .
2 5 L . Emmerij, Can the School B u i l d a New S o c i a l Order?
(Amsterdam: E l s e v i e r , 1 9 7 4 ) , p . 135.
26 See B i l l Ford,"The I n c r e a s i n g I s o l a t i o n o f T r a d i t i o n a l D e c i s i o n Makers f r o m the I n d u s t r i a l Workers o f
A u s t r a l i a " , A . B . C . Radio 2 Broadcast 2 5 t h J u l y , 1975;
N e v i l l e B e h r e n s , Schooling and Work: a study o f twenty- three year olds i n Tasmanian urban and r u r a l communities ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department o f Tasmania, 1 9 7 5 ) ; and F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 1 0 .
27 F i t z g e r a l d , P o v e r t y and Education, p . 9 , 1 1 .
28 I b i d , p . 4 .
29 See D. B y r n e , B. W i l l i a m s o n and B. F l e t c h e r , The Poverty o f Education (London: M a r t i n R o b e r t s o n , 19 7 5) and G i l b e r t Peaker, An Empirical study of Education i n Twenty-one Countries (New Y o r k : W i l e y , 1 9 7 6 ) .
30 ' F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 88.
31 McMullen, "The Lower Secondary Stage".
32 See s e c t i o n 4 . 7 o f t h e R e p o r t .
33 F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 27.
34 See p p . 6 3 - 6 5 .
35 Cf. Submission t o the Committee from the Welfare Branch; and Tony K n i g h t , "Powerlessness and t h e Student Role: s t r u c t u r a l determinants o f school S t a t u s , " Australia and New Zealand Journal o f Sociology, 10 (1974): 112-117. See our conclusions on
streaming, pp. 149-152 and on suspension, pp. 143- 144 .
36 See F i t z g e r a l d , Consultants' Report, p. 8.
37 Submission t o the Committee from the Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n , Appendix 2.
38 F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, Recommendation 3.10, p. 233.
39 See s e c t i o n 5.4.
40 Behrens, Schooling and Work, p. 139.
41 Cf. F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, Recommendation 3.4, p. 232.
42 Cf. I b i d . , Recommendation 3.1, p. 232. The F i t z g e r a l d Consultant's Report also concluded t h a t s p e c i a l funding f o r t h i s purpose should be
p r o v i d e d , p. 11.
4 3 Behrens, Schooling and Work, p. 95.
44 This i s shown from the f o l l o w i n g f i g u r e s : 34.3 per cent o f e n t r a n t s t o m e t r o p o l i t a n (Hobart) h i g h schools entered secondary c o l l e g e s i n 1977; 25.5 per cent o f e n t r a n t s t o h i g h schools i n other urban
(Launceston, B u r n i e , Devonport) h i g h schools d i d so; 18.5 per cent o f e n t r a n t s t o high schools i n
country centres entered secondary c o l l e g e s i n 1977.
45 Lloyd D. Blazely, Survey of Basic Skills of Reading and Numeracy of J4 Year Old Tasmanian Students.
Research Study n o . 2 1 , ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department of Tasmania, 1976J, p p . 7 - 8 ; Fran M. Broadby,
Survey o f Basic S k i l l s o f Reading o f JO Year Old Tasmanian students. Research Study n o . 27, ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department o f Tasmania, 1 9 7 7 ) , p . 6.
46 A u s t r a l i a . Schools Commission, Report f o r the Triennium 1976-1978; and A u s t r a l i a , Schools Commission, Report: Rolling Triennium 1977-79
(Canberra: AGPS, 1 9 7 6 ) .
47 C f . F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 6 4 . 48 I b i d . , p . 8 .
49 Behrens, Schooling and work, p. 198. Cf. F i t z g e r a l d ,
Poverty and Education, p . 70.
50 e.g. submissions from the D i s t r i c t School
P r i n c i p a l s A s s o c i a t i o n , p. 1; Bruce Ross, p. 4;
Northern Tasmanian Regional Council f o r S o c i a l Development, p. 4; and Scottsdale High School S t a f f - P a r e n t Committee, pp. 3, 5, 11.
51 e.g. submissions from S c o t t s d a l e High School S t a f f - P a r e n t Committee, p. 4; and Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n , p. 4.
52 e.g. submissions from the Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n , S c o t t s d a l e High School S t a f f - P a r e n t Committee, and the Student A s s o c i a t i o n o f the Tasmanian College o f Advanced Education (Mt.
Nelson).
53 Submission from Mr. P. P i c k e r i n g , Rural Science teacher, pp. 2-3.
54 Cf. F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p. 64.
5 5 Educational Needs o f Rural Areas, p . 1 3 . 56 F i t z g e r a l d , "Consultant's Report", p . 1 3 .
57 I b i d .
58 Cf. F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, Recommendation 3.39.
59 The F i t z g e r a l d Consultant's Report recommended t h a t "every school should be equipped t o counter the v a r i o u s handicaps i n c u r r e d by c h i l d r e n who are poor. To t h i s end the Government should give
a h i g h p r i o r i t y t o the t r a i n i n g o f teacher c o u n s e l l o r s , teacher s o c i a l workers and teacher home v i s i t o r s .
They would be people who remain i n the t e a c h i n g s i t u a t i o n , understand how schools operate and can undertake a d d i t i o n a l tasks i n order t o a s s i s t
c h i l d r e n a t r i s k . The s t a f f o f every l a r g e school should c o n t a i n a t l e a s t two experienced teachers w i t h s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g i n s o c i a l
w e l f a r e . Smaller schools should be p r o v i d e d w i t h the necessary back up f a c i l i t i e s on a d i s t r i c t and r e g i o n a l basis t o f u n c t i o n i n a s i m i l i a r manner," pp. 10-11.
60 F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p . 7 0 .
61 e.g. submission t o the Committee from t h e Women's E l e c t o r a l Lobby.
62 A u s t r a l i a School Commission, Girls, School and Society. Report by a study group t o the Schools Commission (Canberra: Schools Commission, 1975).
63 Submission from the Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n , p. 5.
64 The Poverty I n q u i r y has drawn p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n to "the d i f f e r e n t i a l career i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d to g i r l s and the d i f f e r e n t e x p e c t a t i o n s h e l d o f
them," p. 22; see p. 123 f o r t h e i r recommendations on the development o f new career i n f o r m a t i o n f o r g i r l s .
65 See pp. 59-60.
66 i . e . F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education; A u s t r a l i a . Commonwealth D e p a r t m e n t o f E d u c a t i o n , T r a n s i t i o n
from Secondary Education t o Employment. R e p o r t o f a W o r k i n g P a r t y , B . C . M i l l i g a n , A c t i n g C h a i r m a n . ( C a n b e r r a : AGPS, 1 9 7 6 ) ; and O . E . C . D . , E d u c a t i o n C o m m i t t e e , Review o f Educational P o l i c y i n A u s t r a l i a :
examiners r e p o r t and questions ( P a r i s : O . E . C . D . , 1976) .
67 0 . E . C . D . , Examiners Report, p a r a . 2 0 . 9 . 68 I b i d . p a r a . 1 0 1 .
69 Compare the Poverty I n q u i r y conclusions about the
" c e r t i f i c a t e b a r r i e r " which e x i s t s i n s p i t e o f the absence o f any A u s t r a l i a n research showing t h a t a year or two more o f schooling " i s a s i g n i f i c a n t d i s c r i m i n a t o r between the s u i t a b i l i t y or e f f i c i e n c y of workers i n comparable j o b s , " p. 137.
7 0 F i t z g e r a l d , Poverty and Education, p. 119. O.E.C.D.
Examiners Report reached a s i m i l i a r c o n c l u s i o n , para. 168.
71 M i l l i g a n , T r a n s i t i o n from Secondary Education t o Employment, p . 1 1 7 .
One long-term change t h a t would d i r e c t l y i n v o l v e schools would be t o reduce the f l o o d o f school- leavers onto t h e labour market a t a s i n g l e p e r i o d i n the year. The p o s s i b i l i t y o f a p r o g r e s s i v e release o f students who have completed a f u l l f o u r - year program would seem worth c o n s i d e r i n g .