1. Education in Australia
By: Kaylee Alberti (Secondary education and mathematics major)

2. What will I learn? How the education system in Australia works
How is society helping education in Australia
The future of education in Australia
Retrieved from

3. Overview of the educational system
State government provides funds and controls school systems within their state (Australian Government)
Learning topics are the same for all states
National government provides for universities (Australian Government)
States offer Vocational Education and Training (VET) or Technical and Further Education (Tafe)
years long

4. Family day care “Home based child care and education” (FDCA)
For ages of six weeks to twelve years old
Take place in the home of approved educators who are monitored by a “central coordination unit” operating in coordinates with the local government and community (FDCA)
Activities such as:
Playing with other children
Going to parks, libraries
Reading
Homework assignments

5. Primary school
Typically start at the age of 5 years old in primary school until the age of 12 (years 1-7)
Each room has kids of the same age
Students with disabilities are put into special classes (Yes Australia)
Classrooms contain boys and girls
Separated in some private schools
In the same classroom for the whole day
Array of subjects taught by one teacher

6. High school
Students are required to go to secondary school for years 8, 9, and 10 (Yes Australia)
Receive a junior high school certificate
Can enter work force or apprenticeship
Years 11 and 12 are optional
Required for high school diploma
Retrieved from

7. Years 11 and 12 These are the two years Universities look at
You get to choose whichever classes you would like
Based on interests, career, etc.
Grades in each class give you a rank among other students
Board of secondary studies gives a test to every student in year 12 to compare between different school (Yes Australia)

8. Extra facts
Classes are Monday through Friday, 8:45 – 3 (Yes Australia)
There are busses available for transportation, but most students walk or ride their bike
The school year is from January to December

9. Culture Schools curriculum is very wide for many different students
Drama, arts, music, public speaking skills are all offered in school (ATC)
Team and individual sports are offered as well (ATC)
After school an on Saturdays
Provide special programs for very talents international students
Along with private tuition
Special sport facilities

10. vocational education and training (VET)
Compared to a technical school in USA
Develops and teaches work related skills
Provides training for subjects such as :
Computing, business, marketing, hospitality (ATC)
Skills match that National industry standards (Atkinson)
Set out by employers to satisfy what they find necessary
Secondary schools (high schools) offer VET programs along with the regular school curriculum
Public vocational education and training Institutes (ATC)
Run from February – December
Half day/full time courses available
Three years long

11. Universities in Australia
Just as here in the USA, they have public and private universities offering undergraduate and graduate programs
Fee’s for paying for the Universities (Yes Australia)
The government gives all citizens a free loan called HECS
Paid back once the student starts earning a certain amount
Then tax is deducted from income
Photo retrieved from

12. Universities cont. Duration
Bachelors degree – three years (sometimes two)
English testing
There are tests that international students in Australia have to take
Measures their levels of English
Required to know English to get into Universities
Called IELTS, or TOEFL

13. Math in Australia There is a big problem with mathematics in Australia
1:12 secondary school math teaches never studied math at a university (Thomas)
1:5 secondary school math teachers only studied math their first year at a university
“Graduating secondary teachers who are qualified to teach mathematics are only around 75” (Thomas)
Many Universities do not offer a major in math or statistics
In 2006, “only 64% of high schools offered advanced mathematics at year 12” (Thomas)

14. What is needed to improve the future of math?
Improve awareness of mathematic careers
Need to address content knowledge of current teachers
Training programs to improve mathematics education in teachers
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership is proposing a two year course program (Thomas)
Current Mathematicians need a stronger, louder voice in society (Thomas)

15. Troubles in Australian education
Within the past decade :
Compared to other countries, Australian students have fallen in many subjects
2nd to 7th in reading (Gillard)
5th to 13th in math (Gillard)
Year 4 students were beaten by:
21 countries in reading (Gillard)
17 in math
18 in science
Year 8 students beaten by :
6 countries in math (Gillard)
9 in science

16. Plan of Improvements needed for the future
By 2025 Australia wants to be ranked as “a top 5 country in the world for the performance of our students in Reading, Science, Mathematics, and for providing our children with a high-quality and high-equity education system” (Gillard)
What will this plan do? (Gillard)
Harder requirements to become a teacher
Give principals more power
Give parents more information about schools and their children’s education
New funding; making sure schools are getting the money they need

17. Works Cited
Atkinson, Georgina. (2011). Vocational Education and Training: The Technicolour Coat of Australia's Education System. Research Overview. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED527162) Australian Government. What is the Australian Education System? Retrieved from life/education/whatis.htm. Australian Trade Commission. (2012). Australian school system. Retrieved from System/Australian-school-system. Australian Trade Commission. (2012). VET Courses. Retrieved from Central Intelligence Agency (2011). CIA - The World Factbook. Retrieved from

18. Works cited
Family Day Care Australia. Received from Gillard, Julia. (2012). Better Schools: A National Plan for School Improvement. Retrieved from school-improvement. Thomas, Jan. (2011). Mathematics education in Australia, Retrieved from Yes Australia. (2007). Educational System in Australia. Retrieved from (2012). Australian Education System, Retrieved from