Dear comrades ; what follows is a series of Ideas for reform of the Platform which I have developed. This paper was originally developed for the Victorian Fabians Forum held on Feb 15th 6.00 2017 till 8.00pm at the Blue Room in the Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth Street. Thereafter it was revised and extended.
I am sharing it with comrades here to provide an opportunity
for feedback before submitting it for consideration.
If comrades have ideas how the paper can be improved
please comment and let me know your opinions.
Sincerely,
Dr
Tristan Ewins
Skills and
Knowledge
The following are excerpts from the existing platform:
Preamble
Education is Labor's number one priority. It's the bedrock of social justice
and cohesion in our society and it will build our 21st Century economy.
Labor will increase investment in Victoria's greatest strength - its people - so they may enhance their development and their participation
in work and society.
The
following ought to be added to clarify Labor’s values in this area (see above):
ADD: “Not only must education provide for the needs of the labour market
; it must also provide opportunities for personal growth ; and education for
informed and active citizenship - which are also highly important. ”
The following excerpt is from the existing document:
Schools (from the existing document)
Schools (from the existing document)
• become active, well-balanced,
knowledgeable citizens, able to
participate fully in a democratic
society
• understand
our democratic multicultural society, recognizing what should be conserved, changed or improved
The following ought be added to clarify Labor’s position on
the purpose of our schools:
- Develop political literacy ; an understanding of the social movements and political parties which contest the direction of economy and society ; and of both the interests, ideologies and values they represent ; and of the specific opportunities for active participation in a democracy
- Develop these understandings in a complex manner ; including but not restricted to the ‘linear left-right spectrum’ ; including ideologies of egalitarianism and meritocracy and the ways they variously complement and clash with each other, as well as libertarian and authoritarian dispositions ;
- Develop understandings of society partly based upon but not limited to such differing notions as “conflict theory” and “functionalism”
- Develop these capacities through content specifically prepared for that purpose in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Economics and English ; Develop a ‘political economy’ facet to Secondary Economics which considers the values, ideologies and interests behind economic theories.
Commentary: these are important to promote the SPECIFIC knowledge
necessary for effective political and social participation. And also to understand things in their
complexity: because the left/right spectrum is no longer – perhaps never was –
sufficient to explain differing political and social movements and
ideologies. It is also necessary to
present ideas in their complexity to maximise understanding ; empowering
students to respond to the nuances in social and political debates, and to be
effective, active citizens. It is also
important to address specifics when it comes to active citizenship, and not
only deal with those issues ‘in the abstract’.
Emphasis
on literacy, numeracy, creativity, and
environmental sustainability.
In
this part of the platform (see above) we should add the following:
“Provide
alternative pathways for students with
specific talents and potential who may not respond to the specifics of the VCE curriculum
; ie: learning/memorising the curriculum is not necessarily the only, or the
most important indicator of talent or potential. Indeed, at the Tertiary level often
significantly different means of learning and grading students’ efforts are
involved.”
Commentary: Learning to the curriculum does not necessarily represent all talent and potential ; so there must be alternative pathways ; and VCE and Year 12 should not ‘decide everything’
Letting our Teachers Teach
and our Principals be
Educational Leaders.
Comment: In this part of the platform (see above) we
ought incorporate the following in some form as well:
“teachers with limited numeracy skills should not be penalised if they perform well in their fields ; eg: Humanities, English etc.”
“teachers with limited numeracy skills should not be penalised if they perform well in their fields ; eg: Humanities, English etc.”
And consider the following part of the Platform also:
Funding Schools to
Meet Students' Needs (from the existing
document)
Labor will:
•
Continue
the student resource package (with base, per capita and disadvantage amounts)
•
Continue
to fund non-government schools in accordance
with the financial assistance model
In this part of the Platform we should also add the following:
[Labor will] “Work to see that revenue shortfalls are addressed through progressive taxation mechanisms without depending on austerity elsewhere ; Labor recognizes that material and human resource shortfalls can only be fairly overcome through progressively structured taxation reform. Gonski can only be fully and fairly implemented through provision of the necessary resources without austerity elsewhere.
TAFE
We should add the following: (nb: Lots of this has been reproduced from earlier in the document ; but it is as relevant here as it was before) :
Add
the following:
TAFE must
provide pathways for students in diverse fields, and that must include such
areas as writing/journalism, liberal arts, music and so on. The intrinsic value of these fields must be
emphasised ; and should not be narrowly based on ‘maximising value in the
labour market’;. If viable Labor
governments should ensure all these areas are geographically accessible to
students across the state.
Labor will also
endeavour to provide pathways and areas of focus emphasising political literacy
and opportunities for active citizenship at the level of TAFE. Again this should include:
·
Developing political literacy ; an understanding of the social
movements and political parties which contest the direction of economy and
society ; and of both the interests, ideologies and values they represent ; and
of the specific opportunities for active participation in a democracy
·
Develop these understandings in a complex manner ; including but not
restricted to the ‘linear left-right spectrum’ ; including ideologies of egalitarianism and
meritocracy and the ways they variously complement and clash with each other,
as well as libertarian and authoritarian dispositions ;
·
Develop understandings of society partly based upon but not limited
to such differing notions as “conflict theory” and “functionalism”
·
…. Explore ‘political economy’…considering the values, ideologies and interests behind economic theories.
Adult and
Community Education
Comment: Here we must apply the same
provisions and priorities to Adult and Community Education as we have already
discussed in the ‘TAFE’ section of this document. The same priorities and
principles apply there as well.
Other issues relating to Skills and Education:
Other issues relating to Skills and Education:
User
Pays and Student Allowance in Higher Ed
User Pays in Higher Education has become more and more pronounced since the introduction of HECS with the Dawkins reforms of the 1980s. The ALP has many priorities, and even if we do raise more tax revenue progressively (I would suggest by maybe 2 per cent of GDP upon taking Federal Government) – even then we are limited. But we do have some room to move in rolling back user pays gradually, and making the mechanisms progressive and fair.
I believe the following measures must be incorporated into the Platform:
User Pays in Higher Education has become more and more pronounced since the introduction of HECS with the Dawkins reforms of the 1980s. The ALP has many priorities, and even if we do raise more tax revenue progressively (I would suggest by maybe 2 per cent of GDP upon taking Federal Government) – even then we are limited. But we do have some room to move in rolling back user pays gradually, and making the mechanisms progressive and fair.
I believe the following measures must be incorporated into the Platform:
·
Labor
has a long term objective to restore ‘free education’, but is limited by other
priorities, and the difficulties with raising the necessary revenue over the
short term
·
Labor
will increase the HECS repayment threshold so that it is significantly above
Average Weekly Earnings
·
Labor
will contain interest on HECS debts to no more than inflation for fairness ;
and will make special provisions for those in a bad position to repay their
debts (eg: upon acquiring a disability)
·
Labor
will increase Austudy payments in real terms ; easing pressures for students to
supplement their incomes with work ; because that can distract from study and
increase the rate of students dropping out. That means an end result of wasted
resources.
·
Labor
will ease means tests for Austudy; again so students can study under conditions
of financial security – and commit themselves fully to their study. Hence Labor will also make Austudy more
widely available ; providing it also for all tertiary students except those
with very substantial means.
·
provide
mechanisms for corporations to contribute more substantially to the skills
development they ultimately benefit from.
This must provide room to move in making student contributions fairer
and less onerous.
State
Schooling ‘at the tipping point’
What is also important is the crisis in state schooling in
this country ; especially secondary schooling.
Because of the proliferation of private schools ; of their superior
human and material resources ; state schools are near a ‘tipping
point’. That is: the proportion of
voters and families (especially in the middle income bands) with an interest in
keeping state school viable – especially in years 11 and 12 – has been shrinking. And this has lessened the electoral pressures
– and the electoral benefits – in restoring and maintaining our state
schools. If these influences continue to
develop we may permanently be left with a starkly ‘two tiered education system’
; with a public system markedly inferior in human and material resources. Then we can really forget about ‘educational equal
opportunity’ for good. Ross Gittins of 'The Age' (15/3/17) has pointed out that the state school share of students has stabilised at 65% - but that it is down from 79 per cent from 1979. And without Gonski - and further reforms - this 'stabilisation' may not last. Gonski must be
swiftly and fully implemented under a Labor government. The resources must be found without austerity
elsewhere. And perhaps Labor must go even further in reducing the gap between
State and Private schools. Also the
prestige of the teaching profession – the respect accorded to it – must
improve. And this could also find
realisation with better wages and conditions for teachers ; with lower
workloads/smaller classes ; as well as better job security for those
unsatisfied with casual and contract work.
All these concerns must be incorporated into the Platform.
The Humanities and Social Sciences must be Protected and Valued
All these concerns must be incorporated into the Platform.
The Humanities and Social Sciences must be Protected and Valued
The Humanities and Social Sciences have long been devalued
compared with courses with have a more obvious vocational application. In many universities they have been cut
back. They have come under attack from
Conservatives who see no value in any enquiry which does not have an obvious
and immediate vocational application.
With the emphasis on STEM and basic literacy and numeracy – their
importance is widely disregarded. But
they are vital for a number of reasons.
·
They
have the potential to be the vehicle for a radically democratic civics and
citizenship focus – at both a Secondary and Tertiary level. Harking back to earlier in this paper – the
goal is to promote political literacy – comprehension of social movements and
political parties ; as well as the values, interests and ideologies
underpinning them. As well as awareness
of the avenues open for effective and active citizenship. Communicated without Ideological prejudice ;
the point being to inform – and not to ‘indoctrinate’. (See earlier in this paper for further
details)
·
Historical
comprehension and appreciation of the origins of civilizations ; Deep
appreciation of culture, ethics and aesthetics ; Engagement with the most
profound philosophical enquiries and dilemmas – these and other facets of the
Humanities and Social Sciences are enormously valuable in their own right. Humanities and Social Sciences are also
valuable for other reasons: comprehending social trends and phenomena ;
understanding them qualitatively and quantitatively.
·
They
have practical applications, also – learning how to reason and construct
arguments ; broader communication skills ; research skills ; applying social
theory and research methods to complex social problems.
·
Humanities
and Social Sciences academics contribute significantly to the public sphere ; and
hence to our democracy
These concerns should somehow be accommodated in the Platform.
This in mind Labor should commit to these concrete measures in its Platform:
·
Develop
concrete ‘civics and citizenship’ and ‘political literacy’ content at a
Secondary level ; especially in years 11 and 12. And provide incentives for
students to undertake at least one Humanities and/or Social Sciences subject in
each year of years 11 and 12.
·
Support
Liberal Arts, Music, and Professional Writing Courses in TAFE and if viable in
Adult Education (eg: CAE) Promote these
as potential pathways to Tertiary study.
Reform the Liberal Arts curriculum to better incorporate and include
questions of ‘political literacy’ ; understanding the values, interests and
ideologies underpinning social movements and political parties. Incorporate an ‘Issues’ component in
Professional Writing and Editing – to potentially prepare students for a career
in journalism.
·
Perhaps
develop courses in political literacy open to all citizens: not only as
‘pathways’ but also because of the intrinsic value of enabling citizens to
cultivate their talents in all directions – including political literacy and
active citizenship.
·
Set in
place incentives (positive and negative incentives) to encourage Universities
to support the Humanities and Social Sciences – as they are central to the
viability of our Public Sphere ; and hence the viability of our democracy. Take
action to stem and reverse the decline of the Humanities and Social Sciences in
our Universities.
·
Encourage
course structures which enable Tertiary students to undertake supplementary
Humanities and Social Sciences content if they so choose ; perhaps at a heavily
discounted rate ; with the aim of enabling deeper personal development ; and a
civil society comprised of informed citizens.
Dr
Tristan Ewins
ALP
member of over 20 years ; February 2017