Past Programs
Access To Education - 2008
Health the big winner from the weekend COAG meeting
01/12/2008
Nicola Roxon has finally clinched the commonwealth-state health agreement, with a massive injection of funds to the states and territories to upgrade the health system. But the government says the money has strings attached and the states will have to show results.
Education guru checks out Australia
26/11/2008
The New York City schools chancellor, Joel Klein, has been in Australia this week spruiking his method for improving school performance through more transparent reporting. The critics say that will only lead to league tables, but the federal government is taking the idea seriously. Joel Klein has also been mentioned as a possible Education Secretary in the Obama Administration.
Laptops for schools program
25/08/2008
In the lead-up to last year's federal election, Kevin Rudd promised an 'education revolution' and, as part of that plan, he promised one billion dollars to provide a laptop for every student between years 9 and 12. But the plan has a hit a number of stumbling blocks along the way. The Commonwealth and state governments are still bickering about who will pay the wiring, installation and service costs, and all decisions about the program have been put on hold until the premiers meet in October.
Report on philanthropy for improving Indigenous education
28/05/2008
Improving Indigenous educational outcomes is going to require much more than a brilliant curriculum. The key lies in providing coordinated support to Indigenous students, staff, and families. That's one of the conclusions of a report to be released today that outlines eight interventions to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students.
Perhaps most unusually, the report provides a framework for Australians wanting to make a philanthropic investment to help Indigenous children with their education. Louise Doyle is a founding director of the organisation Effective Philanthropy and a co-author of the report, 'Our Children, Our Future - Achieving Improved Primary and Secondary Education Outcomes for Indigenous Students'.
Including Indigenous children in the education revolution
02/04/2008
'Deficient' and 'in need of a royal commission', that's how Northern Territory Aboriginal leader Tracker Tilmouth describes Indigenous education in the Top End. Tilmouth says the root of the problem is socialist policies and a cultural approach that seeks to 'fetishise' Aboriginal culture.
So what could be a successful model that includes Indigenous children in the planned education revolution? This week, the principals and leaders from 17 schools around Australia with Indigenous students are gathered at Cherbourg in south-east Queensland as part of an education leadership program.
The school at Cherbourg has become nationally acclaimed for its success in Indigenous education, and it's mainly the brain-child of Dr Chris Sarra, who almost didn't made it himself through high school and on to university, yet ended up with a PhD. He's the former principal of the Cherbourg school and is now the director of the Indigenous Education Leadership Institute.
