Raising the leaving age will require funds

By

Sally Edsall

If the minimum age for leaving school rises, funding will need to rise too.

The NSW Government has put forward the suggestion that the school leaving age in NSW be raised from 15 to 16. In addition, Education Minister John Della Bosca has asked whether it should not be 17 or 18.

This would be the first change in leaving age since 1943, when it was raised from 14 to 15, meeting community expectations at that time.

The school leaving age in Victoria is 16. From 2008, students in Tasmania and Queensland who complete year 10 or turn 16 must participate in further education or training for a further two years or until they gain Certificate III or IV vocational qualifications or until they turn 17, whichever occurs first. There are exemptions for those in appropriate full time employment. In South Australia, from 2009 students will be required to be in school training or full time work until 17. Current school leaving age is 16. In Western Australia from 2008, young people to age 17 must be in school, training or in a job "which will improve job prospects."

The United Kingdom is currently legislating to introduce compulsory participation in education or training until 18. It is already 18 in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium and several provinces in Canada and states in the United States. Full details are available in the consultation paper https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/reviews/index.htm (See "Raising the school age" section).

In NSW, a rise to 16 would mean approximately 5640 more students in school per year, and it would mainly affect public secondary schools. Currently young people leaving school at 15 are disproportionately drawn from young people from rural areas, Aboriginal students, and those from poor communities. The consultation paper also says boys are over-represented, however, it needs also to be remembered that girls who leave school early have worse employment and long-term educational and economic prospects than boys.

If the school leaving age is to be raised to meet the greater expectations and necessity for a well-educated and qualified community, there are clear resource implications, and not only in the later years of school. A disproportionate effect will be felt in the public school system. It will not be enough to "corral" reluctant students; school and/or training must be made an attractive prospect, and that is going to require resourcing right from the earliest years, and getting curriculum right.

NSW's provision of early childhood (pre-school) education, particularly in the public sector, will need to be vastly improved, in order to help break the cycle of inter-generational disadvantage.

The NSW Government's response to the Federal Government's plans to inject money into pre-school provision is lamentable. It consists of a "leave it to the private sector" attitude, with no plans to improve access to preschool provision in the public education sector.

As well, TAFE as the pre-eminent training provider must play a critical role. Cuts and resource limitations, fee increases and access problems, as well as teacher qualifications - all battles being fought on the TAFE front - do not augur well.

All members are encouraged to read and respond to the consultation. An email address is provided on the site for response.

Federation will be preparing a submission.

Sally Edsall is a Research Officer.

For further information

May 2008 contents