Future NT 2023: Preschool and tertiary education crucial policy focus for schooling and workforce challenges

Experts say early childhood programs and clear pathways for students out of school could be key to the Territory’s future. Here’s why.

Improving education offerings before and after schooling years could be key to improving the Territory’s overall student outcomes and addressing workforce issues.

Indigenous education researcher at Charles Darwin University Tracy Woodroffe said we should be looking at “what the purpose of school is” for students in the NT, arguing too often students’ experiences in the classroom did not encourage them to continue studying or help prepare them for life after graduating.

“We absolutely need more industry pathways from school, students should be able to see where school is leading them and those pathways need to be made very, very clear,” Dr Woodroffe said.

“University is not going to be a goal for many students.”

She said clear, positive pathways leading from school could help improve the NT’s low attendance and Year 12 attainment rates.

CDU’s proposed Trades Training Facility will provide more pathways.

It comes as chronic skill shortages plague key industries across the Territory, including trades and construction, engineers, teachers and doctors.

CDU has been expanding its vocational offerings, notably through the launch of CDU TAFE earlier this year and a $10m Trades Training Facility planned at its Casuarina campus.

The university is also looking to double the number of international students coming to the NT to 4000 by 2025 – significantly lower than the goal of 10,000 being spruiked before the pandemic.

In March CDU opened an office in India to help attract South Asian students to study in Australia. It also signed an agreement with Bangladesh’s North South University to strengthen ties between the two institutions.

A review is underway into the NT’s preschool delivery and funding.

Early childhood education has also been identified by government as a key policy focus to improve student outcomes.

“Education is the backbone of our society, we are ensuring that all our children get the best possible access to a high-quality education, so they get the best start in life,” education minister Eva Lawler said.

“As a long standing Territory educator, I especially understand the value and importance of early childhood learning, which is a key focus for us moving forwards. As such, intensive work is currently underway to build stronger foundations for early learning.”

Under the Education NT Strategy 2021-2025 a review is currently being undertaken into preschool delivery and funding and in the Territory.

The Australian Education Union NT said more long term funding would help secure programs that were working, such as the Families as First Teachers initiative helping parents in remote communities build children’s early literacy and numeracy and improve school attendance.

“We have great programs like FaFT, but they need a funding guarantee that goes beyond one party terms for it to make a real difference,” secretary Rachael Metcalfe said.

“A lot of these issues do come down to funding.”