Teaching changes to cut unemployment

Press, 18 July 1980, Page 11

Teaching changes to cut unemployment

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

The strong possibility of much higher levels' of unemployment over the next few years has stimulated the Government to set up a special committee - to . .look,: at big changes in what is taught at j schools. | The ..committee comprises representatives of the Departments of Labour, Social Welfare and Education, and the? Treasury. Its brief is to investigate how the school; curriculum could be changed so that schools concentrate more on teachirig the skills which will be needed upon leaving 5ch001.... The Education Department haspreviously done work which shows that to change one hour of the secondary school ' curriculum costs about $2 .million in staff

training, equipment and facilities. I But the impetus to set up I the committee came from the 1 Minister of Education (Mr Wellington). The recommendations whiqh the committee • makes are expected to have 1 Mr Wellington as their firm- 1 est supporter. He already has some support from the Min- 1 ister of Labour (Mr Bolger), ; but the Associate Minister of i Finance (Mr Quigley) is be- i ing more cautious. ? Education as a preventive 1 for unemployment may be of 1 doubtful value, according to one of the papers being con- ’ sidered. by the. committee. ! This , is a draft report to • the Government on unem- 1 ployment being prepared by a working party of the : National Research Advisory ; Council (“The Press,” July ' 12). i

The report said that the foundation for making sound policy, decisions on unemployment was very shaky. “The statistical base on which decisions are continually being made is both flawed and incomplete,” the report said. Two alternative solutions being advanced to counter rising unemployment were: A general reduction in the amount of work available with, if possible, little or no financial cost to the individual; and a redefinition of work so that activities now not regarded as work — such as home-making, voluntary service or hobbies — attract financial. rewards. Both alternatives . would require changing the present and fundamental relationship between employment, income and status.