Adult Learners Week Australia– MEDIA RELEASE – 30 August 2010
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MEDIA RELEASE
30 August 2010
AUSTRALIA NEAR BOTTOM OF THE CLASS
On the eve of Adult Learners’ Week, the CEO of a peak Australian adult learning body warns that Australia
has fallen dangerously behind the rest of the world when it comes to Year 12 completion levels.
Adult Learners’ Week takes place in more than 40 countries around the world from 1 – 8 September and is
coordinated nationally by Adult Learning Australia. The
focus for the 2010 festival is to encourage adult
Australians to reflect on their own learning journey and to investigate opportunities to ‘take the next step’,
with hundreds of free events and information sessions taking place in communities around the country.
However, with recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research
showing Australia’s current year 12 completion levels to be below the OECD average of 70.2%¹, Ms Sally
Thompson, CEO of Adult Learning Australia, says that adult education and ongoing learning should be a
priority for all Australians.
“Our clever country perception is a myth, with Australians lagging well behind when it comes to literacy and
numeracy,” says Ms Thompson.
“The new OECD research shows that while the Czech Republic (90.5 per cent) has the highest level of
year 12 completion in the world, followed closely by the United States (87.9 per cent), Australia’s year 12
completion level is averaging just 68.2 per cent,” she said.
To make matters worse, a survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics called the ‘Adult
Literacy and Lifeskills Survey’ has found that 40 per cent of employed adults and 60 per cent of
unemployed adults had ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ literacy and numeracy skills.
“Successive Australian governments have talked about the need for Australia to move
from labour
intensive low-tech industries to high-skilled, high-wage industries in order to maintain our quality of life,” Ms
Thompson said.
“We can’t do this without highly educated people. Our year 12 completion statistics coupled with our
literacy and numeracy statistics, suggest we are not making this transition. My concern is that our ‘clever
country’ perception has lead to complacency where further training and education is concerned,” she said.
To improve Australia’s global standing in this vital
area of secondary education, Ms Thompson believes
there is a
need to keep young people in school longer but also for
the adults in the community to keep
learning, to keep training and gain qualifications.
“Research shows lifelong learning improves quality of life, helps build resilience and enables people to
cope with change,” said Ms Thompson.
“Ongoing learning such as participating in short courses and adult education is also important for our
economy and keeps people skilled and stimulated.”
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OECD Country Statistical Profiles 2010: Australia
Adult Learners Week Australia– MEDIA RELEASE – 30 August 2010
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Adult Learners’ Week is the ideal time to explore the numerous educational alternatives on offer. Events,
information seminars and practical demonstrations taking place around Australia during Adult Learners’
Week range from free healthy cooking classes to social networking skill sessions, introductions to subjects
such as philosophy, anthropology and history and Adult Learners’ Week expos run by various education
establishments nationally.
Visit
or call 1300 I LEARN (1300 453 276)
to find out more about adult
education options in your local area.
ENDS
To arrange interviews, or for further information, contact:
Adam Sawell | 9689 0902 | 0401 096 507 | adam@nestpr.com.au
Sarah Boykett | 9689 0902 | 0403 193 146 | sarah@nestpr.com.au
NEWS 
