COALITION TO USE SENATE MAJORITY TO SET UNIVERSITY ENTRY SCORES: NTEU
May 16, 2008
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is concerned that the Coalition appears to be continuing its ideologically driven campaign to micro-manage universities and restrict institutional freedom by imposing an ill-fitting, “one size fits all” approach to higher education policy.
NTEU noted that in last night’s budget reply, Dr Brendan Nelson, Leader of the Opposition said:
“The Coalition will require a number of conditions for funding of Australian Universities that train teachers. Entry scores to undertake teaching courses at university are embarrassingly low. The minimum university entrance score must be higher for entry to an education degree. Science, humanities and social science departments will be required to set and/or accredit relevant course content and assessment in education faculties”.
“NTEU seeks clarification from Dr Nelson whether it is the Coalition’s intention to use its majority in the Senate to make university funding conditional on setting minimum entry scores for teacher education students,” said
“Normally the NTEU would understand that such a statement was political rhetoric, however the Coalition demonstrated this week it was prepared to use its numbers in the Senate to change Government policy in relation to universities.”
“On Wednesday the Coalition in the Senate reinstated the Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs) and National Governance Protocols by using a disallowance motion to overturn Government amendments to university funding guidelines.”
“Dr Nelson’s track record as the Minister for Education makes it clear he believes it is appropriate for the Government to micro-manage
“It is interesting that the current Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition failed to take definitive action in relation to teacher education when they held the Education portfolio while in Government.”
“The Coalition ignored the findings of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training’s report, Top of the Class: Inquiry into Teacher Education which concluded “that the teacher education system is not in crisis” and “currently serves Australia very well but could do better”, and that “funding for teacher education needs to be substantially increased”.
“The real issues therefore in relation to teacher education has nothing to do with the quality of university courses or the students, but rather a decade of chronic under investment in teacher education programs by the Coalition Government,” Mr Kniest concluded.
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