A new international report shows Australian teachers are paid more than their counterparts in other rich nations, and the country spends more on education generally, but relies more heavily on private tuition fees. Source: SMH.
The latest Education at a Glance report, released yesterday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, shows Australians are better educated than the OECD average, which translates to higher employment rates – particularly in economic crises –and higher pay for graduates.
But there are wide gaps in educational attainment across Australia. For example, two-thirds of Canberrans have a degree, but just 40 per cent of Tasmanians. The OECD attributes this gap to differences in educational opportunities, economic conditions and internal migration patterns.
Australians are far more likely to study part-time at university than the OECD average and pay comparatively high tuition fees for their tertiary education, the report finds.
In Australia, 18 per cent of funding for primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education comes from private sources, compared with the OECD average of 10 per cent.
Reliance on private funding is particularly stark at the tertiary level, where Australia’s share of private expenditure reaches 66 per cent, compared with the OECD average of 31 per cent.
But it is also high in secondary education, where more than 20 per cent of funding comes from private sources, compared with less than 10 per cent across OECD nations. Early education is also heavily reliant on parent contributions.
FULL STORY
Education report shows Australia spends – and pays – more for learning (By Madeleine Heffernan, SMH)
