Letting kids fail is child neglect

Children who’ve fallen behind in school must get help to catch up.​

A definition of “child neglect” is letting kids leave school without having mastered the 3Rs of reading, writing and arithmetic.

As old-school as it may seem, the foundation of all learning is the ability to read fluently, write clearly and comprehend basic mathematics.

Australia’s education system is producing an underclass of young people destined for the unemployment scrap heap. In a nation that boasts of its egalitarian nature, every child deserves access to a top-quality education.

The Productivity Commission report, drawn from a decade of official reviews that have been largely ignored, reveals this is not always the case.

Children from poor families, those whose parents did not finish high school, First Nations children and students with a disability, as well as those living in remote or regional Australia, are falling behind city kids with wealthier university-educated parents.

This trend cannot be tolerated or it will exacerbate intergenerational poverty and social dysfunction.

Every school and every teacher must ensure that every child meets at least the minimum standard for literacy and numeracy by the time they finish primary school. That’s their job.

In high school, lessons must be made relevant for teenagers more interested in a trade than trigonometry. Teachers need more practical training at university, and ongoing help to plan and deliver lessons that are interesting and relevant enough to inspire 14-year-old boys.

Until Australia fixes its educational inequity, it will rely on importing workers from nations that have prioritised education as the pathway to social equality and economic prosperity.

Student achievement must never depend on a parent’s bank account.