Guaranteed education and training places

AUSTRALIA – The Australian Education Union (AEU) has welcomed the thrust of the COAG agreement to provide every Australian under the age of 25 with a guaranteed education or training place.

“Australia needs to ensure that we come out of the global financial crisis stronger than we were before,” said AEU federal president, Angelo Gavrielatos.

“However, we will be seeking further guarantees in relation to some of the technical aspects of this policy, in particular, the funding arrangements.

“These must be fully-funded, high quality education and training places – what we do not want to see is the cost of training being put back on students, which ultimately creates barriers and denies access.

“A meaningful level of income support must also be provided to adequately support young Australians whilst in training.

“And it is important that our world class TAFE system is central to the provision of these programmes, to ensure quality training and access, to a much broader choice of qualifications,” Mr Gavrielatos said.

Mr Gavrielatos also welcomed the government’s target to lift year 12 retention rates to 90 per cent by 2015, however he warned there should be additional specific targeted funding to achieve this.

“Achieving a retention rate of 90 per cent to year 12 or equivalent is a critically important national priority. Research shows the important benefit to both individual and society as a whole,” Mr Gavrielatos said.