The failure of the NSW Government to address Educational shortcomings in NSW is behind the push to raise the compulsory age.
Lifting the age from 15 to 16 will not, on its own, change much. It means that some 15 year olds who achieved poorly at school won't be supported through job search schemes. Instead, they will jig the institution, or show and cause trouble.
But it doesn't have to be that bad.
Run properly, low achieving, problematised students could have their needs met by the institutions they vacate. But it costs money. It is expensive to follow up the trail of destruction left by an early leaver, but it also costs money to maintain them in a secure, worthwhile environment too.
Education, from a state budget, has fallen from a high of nearly one third of the state budget under Askin in '75 to one sixth under Iemma in 2007. ALP are to blame for the short funding.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Failure of Leadership Drives Reform
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Students to stay in school until 16 under Iemma's plan
By Simon Benson
ALL NSW students will be forced to stay in school until at least age 16 - and possibly as old as 18 - from the start of the next school year.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Premier Morris Iemma plans to legislate this year to raise the school leaving age from 15 to stop tens of thousands of teenagers dropping out before completing Year 10.
Raising the age to 16 would ensure all students complete Year 10 and that a majority of the state's teens remain in school until Year 11.
A leaving age of 17 or 18 would require every student to either complete the HSC or be involved in some form of vocational training.
Applying from the start of next year it would represent a significant re-writing of eduction laws in force since World War II.
It would also redress Australia's status as having one of the lowest secondary school completion rates in the western world and lift NSW's drop out rate - one of the country's highest.
The Premier's office confirmed consultation had begun and a discussion paper would be released shortly by Education Minister John Della Bosca.
"My personal view is that 16 is the starting point and I will keep an open mind about whether it becomes 17 or 18," Mr Iemma told The Daily Telegraph.
"This is about updating our education system. Higher education levels bring about greater social benefits.
"As a parent, I want to give my children the best possible start in life and one of the most important roles I can provide as Premier of NSW is to ensure that every young person gets the best possible start to life."
The policy has been in development since late last year based on a belief that changes are needed to lift tens of thousands of early leavers - mainly boys - out of a growing unemployment, crime and poverty cycle.
It is a policy also being pushed by employer groups to address skill shortages, by raising literacy and numeracy levels and computer skills of students seeking trade or professional careers.
The Government has been in discussions with industry, business, family and teaching groups and has received wide support.
It would bring NSW in line with other states, all of which have leaving ages of 16 or 17.
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