Schools fail students by focusing on scores, not jobs: report

SCHOOLS are failing to adequately prepare students for life after the classroom, and heavily focusing instead on NAPLAN and ATARs, a new report reveals.

Schools are putting too much focus on ATARs, a report says. File image

SCHOOLS are not adequately preparing students for the workforce, focusing instead on NAPLAN and ATARs, a new report reveals.

The Mitchell Institute report says life after school must be a priority in the classroom, and “trade-offs within the curriculum will be necessary”.

BID TO REVIEW NAPLAN REJECTED

SPELLING STUMPS HUNDREDS OF VICTORIAN KIDS

“I don’t necessarily think we need to take things out of the curriculum, but we do need to do things differently,” Mitchell Institute director Megan O’Connell said.

The design of the school system was a major hurdle, with its focus on what could be widely measured, including the National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy and the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank tests, rather than the workplace.

Schools need to focus more on the workplace, the report says. File image: Tony Gough

“We often prioritise ­NAPLAN and ATAR, we don’t often prioritise what the world of work is like after school,” Ms O’Connell said.

“If you don’t engage young people early on, their aspirations are lowered — it can’t wait until university.”

She said career discussions at schools typically revolved around choosing subjects to study in year 12.

“But year 12 is far too late to be having that discussion,” she said.

The report called on governments to do more to help schools and industry connect, calling progress “ad hoc”, and partnerships between industry and all schools “not yet common practice”.

Yet, these partnerships could address skills gaps, increase productivity and create smooth transitions from training to careers, the report said.

It also revealed workplace opportunities in schools were often dependent on social and professional connections, leaving disadvantaged students to fall further behind.

Teachers prioritised the national curriculum and raising literacy and numeracy standards, with a lack of time committed to life after school.

There were also barriers to exposing young people to workplaces, including child-safety requirements and procurement policies.

“Currently, there are ­complex administrative requirements getting in the way of partnerships working — we need to do more to simplify these across the country,” Ms O’Connell said.

ATAR DOESN’T MATTER FOR THREE-QUARTERS OF UNIVERSITY ENTRANTS

STUDENTS ‘EXCITED’ AS NAPLAN GOES ONLINE

“To achieve the benefits, we need a system that supports industry partnerships alongside the curriculum in all Australian schools.”

A lack of consistency across schools was a big problem, with the offerings of work experience, mentoring, programs and workplace exposure dependent on the schools.

Ms O’Connell said there would be a review of the Australian school curriculum in 2020.

“We will be a part of that conversation,” she said.

— Read the full report at mitchellinstitute.org.au

[e-mail]