Tag: Education
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From auxiliary to professional: how changing one word could help our kids
It was the early 1990s and I was spending the weekend in Birdwood for the Medieval Fair. As always, the Folk Federation of South Australia had gone all out with jugglers and minstrels, horse rides and archery demonstrations. The flags were flying, the streamers streaming, and the lush green grounds of the Birdwood Mill were…
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Student-run cafe opens in Woodville North
Ngani Cafe (pronounced naa-ni, meaning ‘gathering place’ in Kaurna), is located on the grounds of the Woodville North college off of Torrens Road and provides students with a leg-up into the real world by teaching them to work in hospitality and offering paid employment as part of their school day. The college hopes initiatives like…
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Why public and private schools are partners in educating all Australian children
John Frew in a recent essay asserts that public schools are increasingly burdened with students facing complex challenges. Meanwhile, private schools lure more desirable students with questionable claims of better academic outcomes and stricter discipline. As a principal of 20 years, I must disagree with Frew’s depiction of public schools as a “toxic environment in…
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The silent crisis killing Australia’s public education
The exodus from Australia’s public schools is not a quiet migration – it’s an outright stampede. This dramatic shift, particularly in secondary education, reveals a deep crisis that policymakers, academics, and unions acknowledge superficially but lack the courage to confront head-on. At the heart of this issue lies the unspoken truth – public schools are…
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Westminster School’s commitment to excellence rewarded again
Angela Phillips, Westminster School Director of Teaching, has been awarded the prestigious international NEiTA 2024 Leadership Award, following in the footsteps of Principal Simon Shepherd who won the award last year. The National Excellence in Teaching Awards recognise teaching excellence in Australia and New Zealand, and Phillips was one of just 11 recipients this year…
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Schoolies culture change sees less drinking and more alcohol-free fun
Fresh research has confirmed that the culture within schoolies has changed rapidly, as revellers are prioritising alcohol-free activities with friends more than ever. The research by DrinkWise found that nine in 10 attendees did things that didn’t involve alcohol last year, with 33 per cent even choosing to exercise alongside their friends. Chris George, the…
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Will GPT replace ABCs in the ‘high stakes’ classroom of the future
A parliamentary inquiry into the use of generative AI in the nation’s education system said the dangers from the tools needed to be properly mitigated in order for them to be used successfully. The report laid out 25 recommendations, including that AI tools be included as part of the national curriculum for use as a…
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Government funding gap between SA private and public schools grows
Private schools in South Australia will be overfunded by nearly $80 million over the next four years while public schools will be underfunded by $1.8 billion over the same period, a new report from the Australian Education Union outlines. The AEU report – ‘A Decade of Inequity’ – found that Australian school funding was disparate…
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‘We should have called it out more’: reflections from SA women in politics
Penny Wong, Vickie Chapman, Sarah Hanson-Young, and Natasha Stott Despoja have a lot of differences. They served in different political parties, have vastly differing views and their own reasons for entering politics. One thing they do have in common? During their time in politics, they have all been subject to scrutiny and judgement founded not…
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‘Ghost college’ crackdown over no student training
The vocational education providers were closed down as part of a crackdown by the Australian Skills Quality Authority, targeting colleges that did not offer proof of providing courses in the past year. Of the roughly 3800 training organisations in Australia, about 150 had been shut down by the federal government, while warnings had been given…