21 Dec WAVE contributes to and endorses the ACED submission to the Australian Government White Paper, Employment Taskforce, Treasury
In previous statements to the Australian Government, ACED has called for Lifelong Learning (LLL) to be recognised as a central component of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and that the Australian Government is responsible for ensuring lifelong learning opportunities for all. ACED therefore calls on the government to:
- Formalise Lifelong learning as a coherent overarching framework within Australia’s institution of education, to enhance integration and articulation of the various education and training sectors and so flexible accessible learning pathways for all Australians.
- Develop a National Lifelong Learning Policy that highlights the need for all Australians to learn and continue learning throughout life to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.
- Develop, implement, and monitor nationally consistent policies and guidelines utilising an intersectional approach that embeds equity, inclusiveness, and diversity in each and all sectors of education and training, including gender equity.
- Ensure that the formal policy clearly outlines economic and social goals; integrates efficiency and equity; and sets out roles and responsibilities for community, business, and all levels of government. It must emphasise the life-skills required and the inter-connected pathways between learning opportunities.
- Renew the Ministerial Declaration on Adult and Community Education, and outline strategies to support Adult and Community Education organisations as they continue to deliver opportunities to many Australians, including disadvantaged learners.
- ACED supports the following commitments to the lifelong learning intentions of the Australian submission to the Transforming Education Summit held in New York in October this year:
- Commitment to the SDG 4 through continuous improvement to meet and exceed all targets. That said, we also note that in the section relating to reporting and measurement on SDG4, comment about intentions does not extend beyond secondary schooling and adult literacy, thus substantially limiting the scope.
- Commitment to working with all domestic stakeholders.
- Acknowledgment of the need to address teacher workforce challenges.
- Commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Continued engagement with UNESCO and member states. Similarly, we urge continuing engagement with UNESCO’s International centre for Technical and
- Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC) and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong learning (UIL).
- A particular focus on closing the gap between the educational outcomes of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and the non-Indigenous population.