The Australian Government is working hard, in partnership with the states and territories, to deliver a world-class education system for all Australian children.
To kick off the 2009 school year, a number of significant changes and improvements to the education system are underway, agreed to at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on 29 November 2008.
We all know how important the early years of a child’s life are in determining their future wellbeing. That’s why the Australian Government is investing $970 million over the next five years to provide universal access to early childhood education in the year before children start school.
Literacy and numeracy funding of $540 million will help make it possible for all Australian children to get the basics right in reading, writing and arithmetic.
A further $635 million will bring government primary school funding in line with government secondary schools, and $550 million will go towards making sure your child benefits from the best quality teaching and school leadership the country has to offer.
To ensure young Australians are well-equipped to face an increasingly digital age, an extra $807 million will be given to state, territory and non-government secondary schools to help meet the costs of putting computers into schools. The Government’s $2 billion Digital Education Revolution will bring our classrooms into the 21st century, giving all secondary students access to computers.
Believing that disadvantage is not destiny, the Government will spend $1.1 billion on initiatives that support the needs of students and schools in low socio-economic communities and bring about improved educational outcomes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Around $2.3 billion will be spent over four years on Indigenous education, from early childhood to higher education.
Your child will have a better chance at getting the job they really want when they leave school, with $6.7 billion going towards improving students’ skills and workforce development, including the Productivity Places training program and a range of initiatives to improve vocational education and training.
It makes sense that parents want only the best education for their children. The Australian Government understands that and is committed to delivering an Education Revolution in all Australian schools.
You can read more about the Australian Government’s specific education reforms in the fact sheets below: