2–3m Australians lack skills needed for modern work

Following the release of concerning research on Australia’s educational gap, the federal government has promised better funding for adult education programs.

From next year, the federal government will spend $436 million over four years on a revamped Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program to boost adult literacy, numeracy, and digital skills (LND).

The program consists of two streams: the first will target school leavers over 15 years of age across Australia, while the second will focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The program builds on research from the Reading Writing Hotline, whose Insights From the Classroom: A Survey of Adult Literacy Providers report exposed troubling gaps in access to and delivery of adult literacy programs across the country.

Educational gaps

Australia is among the best-educated nations in the world. That said, large gaps in educational access affect Australians from early childhood through to adulthood.

Two to 3 million Australians lack the basic LND skills “needed for modern life” and are, in consequence, more vulnerable to poverty, social exclusion, unemployment, and poor health. Indigenous children, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and children in very remote areas are at least twice as likely as their peers to have a developmental vulnerability.

Research from the Centre for International Research on Educational Systems (CIRES) concluded that “despite pockets of excellence [in Australia], the educational system is mired in inequality”.

The Reading Writing Hotline research gathered survey data from adult literacy providers across Australia and found a concerning prevalence of barriers to better education. Eighty-two per cent of respondents identified hurdles to their provision of LND programs.

The barriers to better adult LND programs

A commonly reported barrier, for example, was a lack of qualified teachers (at 32 per cent), while the majority (57 per cent) indicated that funding was the main barrier to the full delivery of LND programs. While funding appears to affect all communities, the lack of qualified teachers is particularly pronounced in regional, rural, and remote areas.

While funding and better incentives for teachers can presumably address these barriers, there are certain cultural challenges that will likely require a more creative response. For instance, 54 per cent of respondents identified shame and embarrassment as a barrier to more learners taking advantage of LND services. Awareness should be a focus as a majority (56 per cent) of respondents pointed to learners “not knowing where to look” as a barrier to better uptake.

Community support

Among the 17 recommendations report, provisions were made for tailored support services to be provided in more remote communities and, in particular, those with large Indigenous populations. It has been estimated that 40 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have minimal English literacy, while the figure can climb as high as 70 per cent in remote communities.

“The literacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults not only affects their health, education, and employment outcomes but also affects their children’s and community’s opportunities and capacity to progress in their education,” said the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

The report suggested that these reforms be culturally appropriate and community-led – a concern that appears to have found voice in the SEE’s plan to provide grants to community-controlled organisations so that they may partner directly with training providers.

“Improving Indigenous adults’ LND skills is also key to ensuring an adequate Indigenous voice to inform policy decisions and action, and effective community participation and governance,” said the NIAA.

Getting more Australians into work could also help to alleviate the costs of ongoing labour shortages.

“The system has failed people, and for the sake of equity, inclusion and economic growth, we are making significant reforms to remove barriers to better jobs and participating fully in society,” said Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor.

“Improving foundation skills has economic, social and cultural benefits for the nation as well as for the individual.”

To read more about the SEE, click here.