Comments on: Unskilled and over-educated: a plan for worse outcomes http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/01/29/unskilled-and-over-educated-a-plan-for-worse-outcomes/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:22:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Marion http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/01/29/unskilled-and-over-educated-a-plan-for-worse-outcomes/#comment-5068 Marion Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-5068 The description "over educated, low ability" must be questioned. I don't believe anyone can be over-educated. Perhaps some employers would be frustrated by an employee who has knowledge of the arts, can identify the planets and regards religion to be an opiate of the ignorant but isn't an experienced short order cook at the age of seventeen. Regardless of statistics, a better educated person could have a more fulfilling life and make a greater contribution to the community. If Joan Sutherland had remained in the typing pool and Barbara Streisland been a hairdresser as her mother wanted, the whole world would be a lesser place.<br />Lack of ability to be educated is not always caused by of lack of ability - as well as poor facilities in some schools and some educators who cannot cope, there are students who, because of their parents lack of education, do not value education or do not have educational support - by that I mean, they must contribute to family responsibilities when they should be at school or doing their homework or they are humiliated by their poverty. Education is not just about satisfying an employer although it helps to be able to earn enough money to support the lifestyle of your choice. Education is to create a foundation for the the development of the whole person. The description “over educated, low ability” must be questioned. I don’t believe anyone can be over-educated. Perhaps some employers would be frustrated by an employee who has knowledge of the arts, can identify the planets and regards religion to be an opiate of the ignorant but isn’t an experienced short order cook at the age of seventeen. Regardless of statistics, a better educated person could have a more fulfilling life and make a greater contribution to the community. If Joan Sutherland had remained in the typing pool and Barbara Streisland been a hairdresser as her mother wanted, the whole world would be a lesser place.
Lack of ability to be educated is not always caused by of lack of ability - as well as poor facilities in some schools and some educators who cannot cope, there are students who, because of their parents lack of education, do not value education or do not have educational support - by that I mean, they must contribute to family responsibilities when they should be at school or doing their homework or they are humiliated by their poverty. Education is not just about satisfying an employer although it helps to be able to earn enough money to support the lifestyle of your choice. Education is to create a foundation for the the development of the whole person.

]]> By: Peter Roguszka http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/01/29/unskilled-and-over-educated-a-plan-for-worse-outcomes/#comment-5069 Peter Roguszka Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-5069 Logical really, more schooling does not change the ability of an adolescent to be successful in the world of work. Here in WA the school leaving age was increased to 17 last year. The only apparent impact has been the employment of a large number of "Participation Officers" whose most valuable contribution is to authorise under age teenagers to continue working in the jobs they have found in spite of the new law.<br /><br />The Education Dept will tell you the Participation Officers are identifying appropriate TAFE and school courses for their clients. The truth is that the majority of them enrol just to get the bureaucracy off their back and return to their Play Stations, quickly losing any positive work habits they may have developed at school up to Year 10. This enforced break from the requirements of getting up to go to school/work every day is what makes their chance of getting a "better" job disappear over the horizon with its arse on fire.<br /><br />I find it bemusing that senior politicians are still having difficulty with the way logic works. They still appear to be at the stage of 'an elephant has four legs; this creature has four legs; therefore it must be an elephant. It can only be this type of confused logic that could convince any one that enforced extension of schooling will improve outcomes for the large number of young people who have already become, or are rapidly becoming, disengaged from education. What is needed is an approach to education that re-engages these youngsters with a quality relevant and appropriate education which prepares them to take a positive working role in the community. This can be done but it is challenging, expensive and almost impossible to devise KPIs for - there isn't a lot of hope!<br /><br />However, there are a few schools around the country that are doing just this. A lot of their time and effort is wasted in talking to governments trying to convince them not to reduce funding because the KPI's don't stack up. Logical really, more schooling does not change the ability of an adolescent to be successful in the world of work. Here in WA the school leaving age was increased to 17 last year. The only apparent impact has been the employment of a large number of “Participation Officers” whose most valuable contribution is to authorise under age teenagers to continue working in the jobs they have found in spite of the new law.

The Education Dept will tell you the Participation Officers are identifying appropriate TAFE and school courses for their clients. The truth is that the majority of them enrol just to get the bureaucracy off their back and return to their Play Stations, quickly losing any positive work habits they may have developed at school up to Year 10. This enforced break from the requirements of getting up to go to school/work every day is what makes their chance of getting a “better” job disappear over the horizon with its arse on fire.

I find it bemusing that senior politicians are still having difficulty with the way logic works. They still appear to be at the stage of ‘an elephant has four legs; this creature has four legs; therefore it must be an elephant. It can only be this type of confused logic that could convince any one that enforced extension of schooling will improve outcomes for the large number of young people who have already become, or are rapidly becoming, disengaged from education. What is needed is an approach to education that re-engages these youngsters with a quality relevant and appropriate education which prepares them to take a positive working role in the community. This can be done but it is challenging, expensive and almost impossible to devise KPIs for - there isn’t a lot of hope!

However, there are a few schools around the country that are doing just this. A lot of their time and effort is wasted in talking to governments trying to convince them not to reduce funding because the KPI’s don’t stack up.

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