The Coalition has had longer than a three year cycle to make some changes to education. But since the 2016 election, what has it actually done? And what is Labor proposing?
- Professor and Head of School, School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology
The government has delivered a pretty disappointing budget for education, with no secure funding for early childhood education and a recycled commitment of $300 for schools.
Valuing the skills and contributions of our educators and reversing the high rates of turnover is critical and can only be achieved through fair pay and rewards.
Research shows early childhood educators are among the lowest-paid Australians, with some finding better pay in other fields such as night-time retail work.
Overall, we’ve seen huge improvements, particularly for children aged three to five years, but now we need a universal approach to quality education and care for our youngest children.
Mandatory sleep times in early childhood settings do not work for children, educators or parents, and need to change.
Research shows early childhood educators tend to prop up their low-paid jobs using their household income, or by borrowing from families.
What’s in store for key policy areas, from health to education to infrastructure to asylum seekers, under a returned Coalition government?
20% of surveyed early education educators said they want to leave their job due to low pay, volume of paperwork and feeling undervalued.
Under new legislation, children from low-income families will receive just 12 hours of early learning support a week, adding to the risk of these children falling behind their peers at school.
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