Australia, Canada, and New Zealand

Prepared by:
Maricel R. Flores
Education in Australia
 Education in Australia encompasses the sector of:
 early childhood education (preschool)
 primary education (primary schools)
 secondary education (high schools)
 tertiary education (universities, TAFE colleges, and vocational education
and training providers)
 adult education (reffered to as Adult and Community Education or ACE)
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

 Regulation and funding of education is primarily the responsibility of the

States and territories, but the federal government also plays a funding role.
 Education in Australia is compulsory between the ages of five or six and
fifteen, sixteen or seventeen, depending on the state or territory and date of
birth.
 For primary and secondary education;
- 60% in government schools
- 40% in non-government schools
 For tertiary level, the majority of Australia’s universities are public, and
student fees are subsidised through a student loan program.
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

Preschool
 Preschool and pre-prep programmes in Australia are relatively unregulated, and are
not compulsory.
 The first exposure many Australian children have to learning with others outside of
traditional parenting is day care or a parent-run playgroup.
- This sort of activity is not generally considered schooling, as preschool
education is separate from primary school in all states and territories, except
Western Australia where pre-school education is taught as part of the primary school
system
 Preschool are usually run by the states and territory governments, except in Victoria,
South Australia, and New South Wales where they are more often run by local
councils, community groups or private organizations.
 Preschool is offered to three to five-years-old.
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

Primary and Secondary Education

(compulsory attendance requirements)
 School education in Australia is compulsory between certain ages as specified by
state or territory legislation.
 depending on the state or territory, and date of birth of the child, school is compulsory
from the age of five to six to the age of fifteen to seventeen.
 Example of the states and territories that are legally required to attend school from
the age of six years old until the minimum leaving age:
- ACT, NSW, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western
Australia
 Government schools educate approximately 60% of Australian Students and 40% in non-
government schools
 Small portion of students are legally home schooled, particularly in rural areas.
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

Government Schools
 also known as (public schools or state schools)
 they are free to attend for Australian citizens and permanent residents
 attendance fees, stationery, textbooks, sports, uniforms, school camps and other
schooling costs are not covered under government funding.
 The additional cost for schooling has been estimated to be on average $316 per year
per child.
 Regardless of whether a school is part of the government, catholic, or independent
systems, they are required to adhere to the same curriculum frameworks of their
state or territory.
 Most school students wear uniforms, although there are varying expectations and
some Australian schools do not require uniforms.
 Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) is an organization in secondary
schools to support student voice and student leaders promote school improvement.
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

Non-government Schools
 In 2010 66% of students in Australia attended government schools
 20% attended catholic schools
 14% attended Independent schools
 In 2000 these figures were 69%, 20% and 11% respectively.
 Most catholic schools are either run by their local parish, local diocese, and their
state’s catholic education department.
 Independent schools include school’s operated by secular educational philosophies such
as Steiner Montessori however, the majority of independent schools are religious, being
Angelican, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic or non-denominational.
 Some private schools are also catholic, but independent of those run by the church and
catholic education department, which are classed as systemic schools.
 EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

Tertiary Education
 Tertiary Education (or higher education) in Australia is primarily study at university or a
technical colleges studying Diploma in order to recieve a qualification or further skills
and training.
 There are 43 universities in Australia:
- 40 public universities
- two International universities
- one private university
 A higher education provider is a body that is established or recognized by or under the
law of the Australian government, a state, the Australian Capital Territory or the
Northern Territory.
 The largest university in Australia is Monash University in Melbourne: it has five
campuses and 75,000 students