Education
Unravelling top schools unit’s network of consultants and 1400 contingent workers
On Thursday, the ICAC heard evidence from Michael Palassis, head of consulting firm Paxon Group, which was awarded a lucrative contract with School Infrastructure when the agency was first set up.
- by Lucy Carroll
Latest
Schools unit contractor was paid $2.4m with no formal job description
While Anthony Courtman worked for School Infrastructure, he was also engaged by a consultancy company that billed the agency for his work.
- by Lucy Carroll
‘Jews not allowed’: SafeWork savages Sydney University over antisemitism on campus
A preliminary report found that while the university had the authority, policies and procedures in place to eliminate antisemitism, no action was taken for about 11 months.
- by Christopher Harris
Major university announces cuts to jobs and degrees
Macquarie University is the latest set to cut jobs, but insists changes to courses will help address student demand and employability.
- by Christopher Harris
Revealed: The plans for Australia’s first Hindu school
On a block of land in western Sydney, Australia’s fastest-growing religious group is planning its first foray into mainstream education.
- by Mostafa Rachwani
‘No secrets in there’: The photos and the files at centre of ICAC inquiry
A former contractor to the NSW schools building unit has conceded to a corruption watchdog he should have deleted files he downloaded before going on to tender for a lucrative contract with the agency.
- by Christopher Harris
Opinion
I thought dating my uni tutor made me special. For him, it was a pattern
At the time, it didn’t feel particularly sordid, given there were only a handful of years between us in age. But later, I began to reflect on the inequity of power.
- by Madison Griffiths
Opinion
Unis are in a ‘moment of crisis’. Now is not the time for authoritarian control
Universities were created to be communities where ideas – wrong ones, right ones, contradictory ones – can coexist and coalesce into the truth.
- by Sophie Gee
Inside the ‘clown show’: ICAC grills school unit’s $2800-a-day executive
The former boss of the NSW school building unit approved a cycling friend’s $2800-a-day job without declaring a conflict of interest, the watchdog has heard.
- by Lucy Carroll
‘Lecture-bashing’ ban among new rules for Sydney University students
Vice Chancellor Mark Scott said the rules set clear standards for what is and isn’t acceptable, and balanced academic freedom and student wellbeing.
- by Christopher Harris
These students aced HSC English Extension. This is how they did it
Last year, almost 1500 students did English Extension 2. Just 19 made it into the Young Writers Showcase – this is what they shared in common.
- by Emily Kowal
Editorial
Universities cannot shirk responsibility for international student welfare
Universities, councils, and governments must do more for the students we entice here with the promise of our beautiful city.
- The Herald's View
Tom’s plan was to get a degree in Sydney. It went horribly wrong
Homelessness services say an increasing number of international students are sleeping on the streets.
- by Christopher Harris
Exclusive
Over my dead body: Martin Sharp, Cranbrook and the $33m house
The late, great pop artist Martin Sharp made the point in his will that he didn’t want his long-held family home sold to Cranbrook. That’s too bad.
- by Lucy Macken
Friend of schools boss worked on $600,000 contract before it was approved, ICAC hears
On Friday the ICAC heard from Martin Berry, whose company, Heathwest, earned more than $3 million during Anthony Manning’s time as the state’s school infrastructure boss.
- by Michael McGowan
Sydney Uni made half a billion dollars last year. Others are in deficit
This is how much every university made in surplus or lost in a deficit last year.
- by Christopher Harris
‘It was dodgy’: ICAC told of concerns over multimillion-dollar schools contract
An education official says she warned top executives in School Infrastructure about a contract, and that “the whole process was wrong”, but that she got the brush-off.
- by Lucy Carroll
Student loses court bid to stop Newington becoming co-ed
The 162-year-old college plans to admit girls in the junior school from next year and become a fully co-ed by 2033.
- by Lucy Carroll
Schools boss paid friend $100,000 for two months’ work, ICAC hears
ICAC’s investigation into former School Infrastructure NSW boss Anthony Manning heard he had a “command and control” management style that led to hiring rules being broken.
- by Michael McGowan
Selective school test fiasco to undergo independent review
The former head of the federal education department will investigate to what led to computer failures and riot police being called to some testing centres.
- by Emily Kowal
Children as young as six exposed to porn, principals warn
NSW principals have told an inquiry that drawings and behaviours from increasingly young students are showing they have been exposed to pornography.
- by Emily Kowal
Analysis
What the evidence says about sending your kids to single-sex v co-ed schools
This debate is as old as schooling itself: should boys and girls really be going to different schools?
- by Liam Mannix
Multimillion-dollar schools contract steered to ‘communications fairy godmother’, ICAC hears
The corruption inquiry also heard a private contractor was paid $1.65 million over the three years that he worked for School Infrastructure NSW.
- by Lucy Carroll
Scots College asks parents to donate to its champagne budget
A month after opening its $60 million student centre, the eastern suburbs private school wants parents of year 6 boys to chip in for a celebration dinner.
- by Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
Sydney University staff resisting controversial antisemitism rules
Opponents say a university-imposed ‘definition constitutes a serious obstacle to staff and students’ intellectual freedom’.
- by Christopher Harris
Top school infrastructure adviser was paid almost $2000 a day, ICAC told
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has heard a contractor was allowed to set her own rate of pay.
- by Lucy Carroll
Opinion
Selective school fail: Why NSW has lost control of the beast it created
It’s time to stop prioritising the aspirations of politicians and parents and to focus on the interests of children. It’s time for serious and significant reform.
- by Jordan Baker
The HSC subjects students are most likely to drop in year 12
The Herald analysis is based on subjects with more than 500 enrolled students, and shows how choices shift into the final year of high school.
- by Emily Kowal, Nigel Gladstone and Lucy Carroll
Schools boss was sacked from former role over ‘isolationist’ style, ICAC told
Anthony Manning’s former boss, Sam Sangster, told ICAC on Friday that he was never asked about why he was fired from a senior position at Health Infrastructure NSW.
- by Michael McGowan
‘I didn’t do it’: A new stress for students is proving they didn’t cheat in their exam
University students and experts remain concerned about “creepy” AI-invigilated exams – and question whether the whole exam system needs a rethink.
- by Angus Delaney
‘ICAC would have a field day’ with NSW school building unit, inquiry hears
The investigation into former School Infrastructure NSW chief executive Anthony Manning resumed after a two-day hiatus caused by his decision to part ways with his barrister.
- by Michael McGowan
‘I’ve just been shafted’: Education official who sounded budget warning was sacked, ICAC told
One witness raised concerns about an “explosion” in contractors while another was questioned over the establishment of Arthur Phillip High School in Parramatta.
- by Lucy Carroll and Michael McGowan
Exclusive
This Sydney school had a multimillion-dollar overhaul. Now it’s topped 2000 students
Search the full list to see how many students are in your school.
- by Lucy Carroll and Nigel Gladstone
Teachers know music education is crucial. In NSW they are too afraid to teach it
It’s one of the most important lessons a student can receive in primary school, but more than 70 per cent of teachers prefer to use videos to teach the subject.
- by Emily Kowal
After the crowd chaos, relief and glitches as students resit selective schools exam
Parents say connectivity issues hit a number of exam centres as pupils re-sat the competitive selective schools test.
- by Christopher Harris
Opinion
Suffering from decision fatigue? Why not take tips from a toddler and live life on repeat
Every day, my two-year-old son rewatches the same movie and then reads the same books before bed. In a world of endless choices, he has chosen to disregard decisions altogether.
- by Thomas Mitchell
‘Might seem a bit weird’: Inside Sydney Uni’s college experience
The sandstone university’s residential colleges date back to the 1800s, and host some traditions to match. They’ve never been more popular.
- by Christopher Harris
‘You can earn a decent amount’: Ash has a commerce degree. But now he’s a tradie
Australia is in desperate need of tens of thousands of tradies over the next five years. Fixing the shortage all begins with tackling job snobbery.
- by Jenna Price
Opinion
Young people are turning away from higher education. Now’s our chance to change that
Australia needs more students graduating from university to support new industries and emerging jobs. The Albanese government has a gild-edged opportunity to reset the sector.
- by George Williams
‘Battle of the dictionaries’: Private school’s co-ed fight hinges on definition of ‘youth’
A court has been shown 19th-century documents, dictionary definitions and newspaper articles in a fight over a plan to admit girls to Newington College.
- by Lucy Carroll
School building chief asked staff to lie about asbestos after deadly crash, inquiry hears
One former school infrastructure employee voiced concerns about correct processes not being followed. Then she was fired.
- by Christopher Harris
Parents rage at ‘unfair’ selective test. Aaradhya just wants it to be over
As students prepare to resit the test after technical glitches and organisational chaos, parents are up in arms about fairness.
- by Emily Kowal
‘Not all tragedies have a villain’: Truck brakes faulty before school bus crash seriously hurt students, court told
A truck that ploughed into a school bus on Melbourne’s western fringe had faulty brakes and skidded for more than 25 metres before the crash, which left several children seriously injured, a court has been told.
- by Melissa Cunningham
Two sackings in the spotlight in bombshell school corruption inquiry
Anthony Manning’s barrister hit out at the ICAC’s probe into his client’s time as School Infrastructure, saying his “reputation is on the line”.
- by Michael McGowan
The one question that wasn’t asked before schools boss was hired
Former education secretary Mark Scott conceded in hindsight he should have questioned a “falling out” between Anthony Manning, the subject of an ICAC inquiry, and his former boss during the hiring process.
- by Michael McGowan
Schools boss steered contracts to PwC partner who suggested him for top job, ICAC hears
Former Investment NSW boss Amy Brown helped Anthony Manning polish his CV but denies having directly influenced his recruitment.
- by Lucy Carroll
How student debt changes made the same degrees more expensive
Costs are set to be cut by thousands of dollars in the coming months but those at university are still paying more for tuition.
- by Christopher Harris
Editorial
International House is a challenge we should not shy away from
Student accommodation is an important piece of the housing affordability puzzle. The sad state of disrepair seen at the Sydney University building is both instructive and symbolic.
- The Herald's View
Why this grand building on Sydney’s busiest street is derelict
Sydney University’s International House could accommodate 200 students, but amid a rental affordability crisis, it sits abandoned.
- by Christopher Harris
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/national/education