Education

Alan Reid

Whipping up a crisis over education won't improve quality

Alan Reid The release of international test scores last week unleashed a wave of commentary.

Michael Kirby

We need look only to Australia's past to give public education a future

Michael Kirby It is time for Australians to rediscover the original ideals and optimism of public education. Because of pressure groups and wedge politics, the grand objectives have been forgotten or frustrated of...

Nicholas Gruen

GDP's blind spots ignore full impact of education spending

Nicholas Gruen There's plenty wrong with gross domestic product as a measure of national wellbeing. As Bobby Kennedy said, it measures everything in life except what's most important.

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Heckler

Education cuts score a fail now and for the future

Heckler I HAVE drafted this missive many times, each time trying to form my anger into some kind of coherent shape. I have tried to be witty; I have tried to be even-handed; I have tried to be analytical.

Heckler

Education's a valuable resource too

ALL this squabbling over education funding has got me thinking: what if we could afford to maintain current levels of private education funding while increasing the funding allocated to government...

Ken Boston

Vocational education has a vital role to play in flexing young minds

Ken Boston After 10 years in England, it is good to see the progress made in the inclusion of vocational curriculum in school education in NSW.

Kenneth Davidson

How to save billions: dump the desal deal

Kenneth Davidson It's official. Melbourne Water users will pay $19.4 billion in contract payments to AquaSure.

Mark Stevenson

Amateur players need to beware of knock-on effect of concussion

Mark Stevenson One of the Carlton greats, Greg Williams, has memory loss. He won't be alone.

Comments 4

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Something for Kate? Not this Mantel piece portrait of a young duchess

Barbara Taylor Bradford I am a fan of Hilary Mantel's books. I even sent her a congratulatory email when she won her second Booker Prize.

The Loaded Dog

Should ethics become part of the curriculum?

Ethics classes are available for children who opt out of scripture. But should ethics become part of the primary curriculum? How can the curriculum be made more flexible?

The Loaded Dog

Now that the election has been called, what do Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott have to do to win your vote? What is the most important national issue in your household?

Sarah Rainey

What? No children? Fending off the final female taboo

Sarah Rainey Childlessness is on the rise. But why does it bother so many people?

Comments 589

Richard Glover

Creative drinking

Richard Glover The history of beverages is full of unintended consequences.

Craig Fry

High on moral panic

Craig Fry Last week we did indeed witness the blackest day in Australian sport. But the low point was the public reaction to this latest drugs-in-sport story, not the apparent truth of the matter.

Lucas Walsh

Racism demands action from all of us

Lucas Walsh Last week we saw another high-profile incident of racism, this time involving ABC journalist Jeremy Fernandez, who allegedly received a tirade of defamatory and racist abuse from a Caucasian woman...

Darwin, dinosaurs and the devil

Mark Joseph Stern An Australian creationist believes Charles Darwin is to blame for drug abuse and pornography, and that people rode dinosaurs.

Joumanah El Matrah

Shutting out the 'sinners' feeds bigotry

Joumanah El Matrah Allowing religious organisations to discriminate undermines the true meaning of faith.

Elisabeth Betz

Real reasons for tension lost in rush to judgment

Elisabeth Betz 'Mobs tearing up Logan. Did any of them do a day's work today, or was it business as usual and welfare on tap?'' the Coalition's indigenous health spokesman, Andrew Laming, tweeted in response to...