Education and Challenges of Inequality - Article Example

of the of the Concerned 24 August Education and Challenges of Inequality Selected Article: ‘Education Reform-Developing New Models of Schooling’ by John Fleming, published in The Australian on 6 June 2011. Critical Response The article under consideration forecasts a very positive outlook for the Australian education system. According to Fleming, though there are many issues that inflict the Australian education system, the biggest challenge is to deal with the conservative elements in the systems, who intend to derail all the favorable changes suggested by all the evidence based research. The article talks about the latest initiatives taken by the Federal government that intend to place a system meant for measuring the student achievement. The writer also talks about the need for taking parents into confidence and to provide them with the required information so that they can take the proper decisions about their children well in time. The new research focuses on a step by step approach towards the acquisition of skills in key learning areas. It also talks about an appraisal of the staff performance and teacher education. The sad thing is that the latest initiatives taken by the Federal government do not talk about as to how to deal with the educational inequalities in Australia. All over the world there exist inequalities in the educational achievements of high income and low income groups. The same stands true of Australia also. This achievement gap exists because of difference in the resources and opportunities available to the students affiliated to diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Ample research carried on till now has testified to the fact that the educational achievements of students depend to a great deal on the varied socio-economic attributes of their parents like employment status, education, access to housing and other civic amenities etc. So any educational reforms and initiatives taken by the Federal government do need to take into consideration such markers of educational inequalities in Australia. Any reform initiative will be totally incomplete if it doesn’t aims to take care of these disparities and intends to help the students from the disadvantaged and sidelined sections of the society to achieve their desired educational proficiencies and skills. Everybody knows that Australia is a multicultural society. It is also a common knowledge that their do exist some social tensions within the Australian society. So an equitable and wider access to education is central to the dilution of the prevalent socio-economic tensions in Australia. Besides such thrust for equality in the Australian education system will also have favorable repercussions for the Australian economy. This will not only allow a larger segment of the Australian population to participate in the employment market, but will also improve the quality and efficiency of the Australian work force. This will have a direct positive impact on the productivity potential of the nation. So, it is good to reform the education system, but all the reforms will be incomplete if they fail to aspire for the removal of the educational inequalities in Australia. The issue does require a direct and sincere involvement of the policy makers. Reference List Fleming, John 2011, ‘Education Reform- Developing New Models of Schooling’, The Australian, 6 June, viewed 24 August 2011, . Name of the Student Name of the Concerned Professor Subject 26 August 2011 Unemployment and Social Instability Article Selected: ‘Unions to Press Labor for Protection of Jobs’ by Matthew Franklin, published in The Australian on 25 August 2011. Critical Response The article under consideration talks about the rejection of Gillard government industry policy by trade unions and the intention of the trade unions to fight for the protection of the Australian manufacturing jobs at the Labor Party’s national conference. The stand of the Prime Minister is that protectionism is a tricky option and that it could make the Australian economy vulnerable to retaliatory actions by its trading partners. In the mean time the Union Leaders are trying hard to appraise the MPs about the dire straits of the Australian manufacturing sector and the large scale loss of jobs in this sector. The Union Leaders are also talking about extending fair treatment to the local manufacturers. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national secretary Dave Oliver is all for a firm action on the part of the Australian government to save and protect the interests of the local manufacturing sector and to protect the Australian jobs. However, it goes without saying that none of the union leaders have tried to strengthen their position by highlighting the personal and social costs of unemployment. The personal and social costs of unemployment include poverty, financial hardship, the deterioration of local skills, ill-health, debt, a fall in self-confidence and self esteem, crime, homelessness, augmenting social isolation, breakdown of family structure and increase in family tensions, social stigma, shame, etc. Hence, keeping apart the commitments of Australia to international community and its trading partners, unemployment is a situation that could lead to immense social instability and turmoil. Not only the unemployed Australians do have a higher poverty rate, but unemployment is one major cause of poverty in Australia. Besides unemployment is also closely associated with dwindling health and the unemployed have been found to be more vulnerable to physical and psychiatric ailments. Unemployment not only causes a long term harm to the families but the children residing in families where one or both the parents are unemployed are more exposed to stress and deprivation. Besides, unemployment has a greater impact on the marginalized and sidelined sections of the society who have a lesser access to institutions of skill accumulation and opportunities for education. Unemployment no doubt gives way to family divisions, distress and marital discord. Unemployment leads to a direct decline in the standards of diet, clothing, housing and healthcare of the vulnerable sections of the society. Thus, unemployment is not only the single most important factor giving way to social disintegration, but it is a factor that may seriously jeopardize the long term well being and stability of the Australian society. So the trade union leaders ought to highlight the long term and short term destabilizing impact of unemployment on the Australian society. The government also needs to find a way out to not to appear protectionist, while doing its best to protect the local manufacturing industry and local jobs. Reference List Franklin, Matthew 2011, ‘Unions to Press Labor for Protection of Jobs’, The Australian, 26 August, viewed 26 August 2011, . Read More