Australia falling behind in education

[Bonny]

Those of you with school-age children might want to read this. Australia ranks 39th out of 41 high- and middle-income countries, as assessed by the UN. Only Romania and Turkey are doing worse. Also only 71.7% of 15 year-olds are achieving ‘baseline standards of education ‘. And 16% of 15 year olds don’t have ‘secure access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food’. 

 

These stats don’t surprise me at all, given my own experience in Australia. There are surprisingly huge gaps in peoples’ education. Barely a news report is error-free, signs are spelled incorrectly everywhere, handwritten invoices are often illegible. It’s all just really surprising. 

 

And yes, I know South Africa doesn’t make it onto the list of 41 countries, but it’s still depressing. Just a word of balance and caution for those of you coming here, so the reality is less of a shock. 

 

For eg. My own daughter attended a private school in Aus and completed an International business degree here, and started work a year ago. I just found out she has no idea how to make an Excel spreadsheet and has never had to do one. She’s now got into a bit of hot water for it at work. Amazing to me. 

 

Most of my son’s friends have wasted their private school educations and work as labourers for cash, spend their time trying to claim Centrelink and smoking weed. About half of them can’t even drive and they’re 20. It’s unfortunately just not all roses in the Australian education system. 

 

I know this post will be controversial but I’m 50/50 on whether things might have turned out better in SA. 

 

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/education/un-agency-ranks-australia-39-out-of-41-countries-for-quality-education-20170615-gwrt9u.html

 

 

[Mel-B]

I hear you. In my opinion it totally depends on the kids not the country. I was in a prestigious high school in Pretoria and the entire leadership team (skool leiers) including the head boy were expelled due to smoking weed at school and drinking at school. Also half of the people I went to school with in both Pretoria and Pietersburg can't speak English even close to a decent level, can't spell, and I have 3 family members over the age of 30 who can not drive (in Pretoria) - due to choice/lazzines? We came here and my daughter is performing better in a public school than she did in a private school in Pretoria, made SRC in her first year here, has excellent grades, programmes apps for fun, and can't wait to get a job when shes 15. (She is 10) LOL. My point being I don't think its a country thing, its definitely a home culture thing.

 

South Africa... that's a hot topic. When you say anything good about it, you are asked why you left, if you say anything bad you are being negative. But in my personal opinion the grass is definitely greener here in Oz. The amount of trauma that we went through in South Africa and the amount of trauma our family members have endured there is shocking to say the least. I am happy to be here. Sure I see the flaws in government and schools, and wonder why they have the problems they have, it could be so much better, than it already is, and yet I honestly don't think you could find a better place to live that balances all the needs we want from life equally. This is the best it gets in my opinion, taking several factors into account.

[Caz]

I agree to it being a personal thing.  My 9 year old in state school is able to use all Microsoft applications and gets instruction on how to use these at school.

[Duggen]

On 8/5/2018 at 9:13 AM, Bonny said:

For eg. My own daughter attended a private school in Aus and completed an International business degree here, and started work a year ago. I just found out she has no idea how to make an Excel spreadsheet and has never had to do one. She’s now got into a bit of hot water for it at work. Amazing to me. 

 

 

I cant really comment on the education thing, having no kids and no interaction with schooling in Aus, but must say I am hugely surprised that your daughter doesn't know how to use MS excel!

 

I have interviewed numerous candidates fresh out of Uni for graduate positions here and was really impressed by the general level of skill they had including  in the levels of knowledge of current affairs, computer skills and knowledge of the requirements for work.

 

I was, to be fair, only interviewing top candidates (minimum of having finished varsity cum laude) that managed to get through the really rigorous recruitment process where I worked. In South Africa I interviewed many similar candidates and felt the candidates here were of a slightly higher calibre having been exposed to more in general than their South African counterparts.

 

May I ask which institution your daughter attended?

Edited August 6, 2018 by Duggen

[Pell]

Interesting read... I also believe it has a lot to do with the kids and not the country. My daughter attended a top private school in SA, and one of the top private schools in Aus, and found the level comparable. Yes, the kids' spelling is atrocious (both countries). Yes, their spreadsheeting skills are limited (now she is in second year Uni, and has had to do some spreadsheet work, but headed over to You tube and learned that way). I believe it's got a lot to do with the kids' attitude and how well they want to do (or how scared they are of not passing the subject), but also with what subjects they take - if they do financial subjects, they will be more exposed to Excel than if they have to write essays. I do think there should be more emphasis placed on learning those skills in school though.... 

I'm not sure if things would have  turned better in SA: maybe yes with Matric results and getting into decent uni degrees (excluding med schools, and quotas aside). How about after uni though, when they would have  to go out there and get a job and compete with the EE candidates though?

Re: drinking and drugs, kids in both SA and Aus smoke weed, do other drugs, drink etc., in fact my daughter found it more prevalent here than in SA (although they could be comparable if you take the same year). For some it's a phase, for some not. 

[forrie]

Bonny: " Barely a news report is error-free, signs are spelled incorrectly everywhere, handwritten invoices are often illegible. It’s all just really surprising. "

 

Someone told me you can tell a rich Aussie from a poorer one from the spelling mistakes of their tatoos......

[Duggen]

13 minutes ago, forrie said:

Someone told me you can tell a rich Aussie from a poorer one from the spelling mistakes of their tatoos......

 

😂 That's amazing!

Edited August 6, 2018 by Duggen

[vitchie]

tattoo is spelled with 2 t's. I hope that was an intentional typo.

Edited August 6, 2018 by vitchie

[forrie]

haha! The joke is on me - I should be careful in getting a tattoo myself!

 

 

[Bonny]

On 8/6/2018 at 10:14 AM, Duggen said:

I was, to be fair, only interviewing top candidates (minimum of having finished varsity cum laude) that managed to get through the really rigorous recruitment process where I worked. In South Africa I interviewed many similar candidates and felt the candidates here were of a slightly higher calibre having been exposed to more in general than their South African counterparts.

Hi Duggen - would be interesting to know whether these candidates had ever been exposed to a spreadsheet. Maybe next time you can ask. 

 

It’s probably better that I don’t name institutions on here

[Bonny]

20 hours ago, forrie said:

Bonny: " Barely a news report is error-free, signs are spelled incorrectly everywhere, handwritten invoices are often illegible. It’s all just really surprising. "

 

Someone told me you can tell a rich Aussie from a poorer one from the spelling mistakes of their tatoos......

Yesterday our tenant texted to say she has a leek in her kitchen (I’m not even making this up). I don’t know whether to send a plumber or a chef. 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Bonny

[vitchie]

5 minutes ago, Bonny said:

Yesterday our tenant texted to say she has a leek in her kitchen (I’m not even making this up). I don’t know whether to send a plumber or a chef. 

Edited 5 minutes ago by Bonny

 

Lol, I see you edited that just in time before the spelling police could get you. 🤣

[Pell]

Well, since we're talking spelling, let me not even start on auto-correct! 

[Duggen]

55 minutes ago, Bonny said:

Hi Duggen - would be interesting to know whether these candidates had ever been exposed to a spreadsheet. Maybe next time you can ask. 

 

It’s probably better that I don’t name institutions on here

 

Sorry should've been more clear they all were/are pretty advanced excel users, much more advanced than I was when leaving uni. That's why I was so surprised by your statement.

 

 It seemed they had been doing a fair amount of excel work/modelling at uni.... although the majority also competed in various case competitions so that may be where the got the exposure from.

[Bonny]

7 hours ago, vitchie said:

Edited 5 minutes ago by Bonny

 

Lol, I see you edited that just in time before the spelling police could get you. 🤣

Too right I did 😂😂

[Bonny]

I don’t know why it ‘kraps’ me so much.

 

In my nearest coffee shop there’s a sign in the (dirty, they’re always dirty) bathroom saying, ‘Please keep this bathroom clean because other’s want to use it to’ 

 

Drives me bananas. Sadly I never have a pen handy when I go in there.

[Mel-B]

On 8/7/2018 at 1:04 PM, Bonny said:

Yesterday our tenant texted to say she has a leek in her kitchen (I’m not even making this up). I don’t know whether to send a plumber or a chef. 

Whahahahaha!!! This made my day. I am a typo nazi. 

 

My mom works at UNISA (the South African one) and the best letter she ever received was from a student who asked for an extension on his thesis deadline due to "his knees dying", so she was unsure whether to tell the professor that the student is attending a funeral or an appointment with a Rheumatologist.

[Eva]

[Bob]

Australia has opportunities for all its people.

That doesn't mean there are not "bums" and "low lifes" in Australia.

I'm old enough now to be able to look back a few decades. I see the lives of various people that I knew forty years ago and how they have finished up.

You can give two identical people the same breaks and opportunities in life.

One will have faith in the "state" delivering all the necessary services in life. The other will be a more 'self sufficient' individual, doing things more for himself / herself and saving for things in life . . . . a new car, a new house, a holiday, etc..

I've noticed that once a person begins to take the easier path of letting welfare pay for things, sitting back and relying on the "state" to provide services instead of working to provide those services for themselves, that person becomes addicted almost to welfare.

I can see what forty years of welfare dependence has done to people I know and it's not pretty to see the outcome . . . . . their inability to "take the bull by the horns" and "seize the day", to see how their lives have become impoverished and how little they have succeeded in life, how negative about life in general their mindset has become.

I am so glad that I was brought up with a work ethic that made me get out and do things for myself. . . . . build my own home with my own hands, save for my retirement during my working years, etc.

I am also glad that the Christian background that I have made it clear that we are responsible for our own outcomes and need to be accountable for them. No "victim" mentality there!

I am now an old age pensioner, and if I had a massive heart attack in the next day or two, I can honestly say that I've had a good life, that I've been blessed with opportunities and reward and that my life has been adventurous and interesting.

Some of the mates my age that I've known for years have lived a cushy life of welfare dependency and still think that "life isn't fair". . . . . . . . . go figure.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Bob

[Bonny]

Appreciate what you’re saying, but not sure of the relevance to the topic of Australian education being below 1st world international standards Bob?