In the current context of life, it is everybody’s dream to have their children, have the best education the world has to offer. Who wouldn’t want their child passing through the best education systems the Australian curriculum has to offer (Barth, 2014, p. 281). However, it has become overwhelmingly expensive to study in the best the system has to offer most especially in the developed countries such as Australia. Hence, the parents are not able to sustain their children in learning institutions most especially in the higher learning institutions which comprises of colleges and universities.
The previous assessment began by describing the efforts the government has made towards ensuring that the gap between the less fortunate students and the rich students is bridged hence bringing equality and creating more opportunities for all regardless of their financial and social status (Li, 2018, p. 43). The second section of the assessment is focused on the fee policy deregulation so as to give chance to the funding of more students and also to bring equality amongst the less fortunate students and the rich students. The section also discusses on involvement of the higher education policy beneficiaries so as to enhance on transparency and justice that will lead to reduced protests in the streets concerning the policy.
The third section of the valuation is focused on addressing the issues that are faced by the higher education policy. One of the major issues is the scrutiny of the students who eligible to be beneficiaries of the policy. Some of the students that are enrolled in the policy come from well off families and hence they should be able to cater for all their study expenses (Nicol, Thomson, and Breslin, 2014, p. 110). The last section of the study emphasizes on the benefits and the limitations of the policy. One of the major benefits that are brought about by the policy is the reviewing of the subjects the students cover while at school. This will enable the students to specialize in their areas of study. However, there are still disadvantages that come up as a result of the policy, one of them being some of the beneficiaries of the policy defaulting from paying the loan once they get good jobs and are financially stable.
This assessment will mainly focus on the social, economic and political factors that hinder the implementation of the Australian higher education policy. The first social factor that affects the implementation and development of the education system is inadequate information passed to the public regarding how the higher education policy system works (Bachan, 2014, p. 853). An example of this is reflected where the students are enrolled in the system and yet complain and later when they are beneficiaries. The beneficiaries then end up defaulting from the loan payment. If clear information is passed, the public is more aware of how the system thrives. Another major instance still on inadequate information being passed to the parties involved is when well up children are enrolled into that system yet their parents are able to easily support all their children’s needs. The previous instant to some extent could also be described as ignorance as some parents who are able to support their children still enroll their children in the policy yet they are fully aware of the policy’s regulations (Jarvis, 2014, p. 747).
Several strategic decisions have culminated in the AHEPS (Australian higher education policy statement) which signals the establishment of a state with a unified higher education system which promotes quality, growth, and diversity in the sector to counteract the emerging social factors (Siemens, and Long, 2011, p. 30). There is an ambition to create and set “the body of students that reflects a more structured and societal composition in general”, which targets under – represented groups, which includes individuals from stumpy socioeconomic status families, remote and regional areas, non-English speaker origins and individuals who are disabled. This is aimed at sharing benefits with these individuals from high level education participation “more widely and more equitably in coming days”.
Australian higher education institutions have also focused on the reduction of inequities by addressing the system level policies which deter education equity which includes choice of school, and funding support. Continued teachers’ professional development support which is combined with vibrant assessment and information evaluation on the improvement of schools. The policy also strengthens the incentives which aims at attaining the labor market demanded skills for graduates. This policy also emphasizes on the need for policy clarity and funding of the activities involved.
Some of the students are also hesitant to enroll into the program due to lack of understanding of the policy. Some of the students, especially the less fortunate students think that the policy will require the repayment at exorbitant rates yet the policy is focused on offering flat rate education loans most especially to the less fortunate. This then hinders the development of the policy as the number of students who enroll into the policy is reduced.
In our current global status, every resource that a government invests to a project is meant to improve the economic status of a country. The Australian government has dedicated vast resources towards the education system in its country. It is estimated that about 43% of the government’s revenues is spent on education which is immensely high considering that the expenses are expected to rise as time passes due to population increase (Hursh, 2015, p.21). Despite the government spending immensely on the higher education system, there are still so many hindrances that lead to stunted growth of the policy. In supporting student’s equity, Australian government has formulated and implemented a policy which aids in building a more effective and well-coordinated education development system supporting the diverse need of students and their families while improving their health, early learning, safety and their well-being.
Firstly, the population of the country is increasing immensely hence this is increasing the government’s expenditure on the policy (Boyd, Crowson, and Mawhinney, 2015, p. 290). For such kind of resources to be attained to satisfy the education needs of every student enrolled into the policy, the government has to borrow these resources from elsewhere. Hence the more the student population of the students enrolled into the policy, the greater the government spending which then leads to greater public debts which may end up sabotaging the economic status of the country eventually.
Australia’s education investment is similar to the average of OECD’s. Australia’s educational expenditure levels at a 6.1% of the country’s GDP, which is slightly below the 6.3% OECD average (Belfield, and Levin, 2015, p. 61). Australia increased educational spending by 0.8% between 2010 and 2015. The country allocates similar amounts of money annually per student’s expenditure in the higher education level. The country’s government is primarily responsible for funding of higher public education institutions and is largely provided through Commonwealth Grant Scheme (Breiner, et al. 2012, p.9).
Labor market perspectives play a vital role in the decision to staying in education. Unemployment rates in Australia are lower than the OECD average. The percentage of 15-29 years-olds who are not attending schools and are unemployed, which stands at 11.5% stands below the OECD average (Auranen, & Nieminen, 2010, p. 829). Australian government has formulated an economic policy with an objective of increasing the responsiveness and the capacity of skills development in vocational training and education. The National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions (2009) policy aims at improving youth’s transition in furthering education and retaining their education. This policy clarifies the actors responsible in achieving targets while providing funding programs related to students attainment, transition and engagement.
Australian new state policy settings are designed in a way that creates a demand – driven structure – a higher learning institution system molded by arrays of the demand of the students and the institution’s responsiveness (Gale, & Parker, 2013, p. 798). This is intended to expand the participation in higher education development through the institutions responding to market opportunities where relevance and quality, and not price, are the driving factors. This is a major policy with a far reaching ramification potential for the overall system character the purposes of higher education conceptions and the relationship between communities and higher learning institutions.
Moreover, the government is also involved in the development of other sectors of the economy of a country. This means that the funds, the government has in store is limited to only plan projects (Chapman, and Sinning, 2014, p.579). Despite the massive resources put forward by the government, the resources are still not enough and hence they do not satisfy the needs required to unlock the full potential of the high education policy. When the full potential of the policy is not unlocked, this brings about a gap in the number of beneficiaries who benefit from the policy.
Thirdly, when the government disburses subsidized education to the students enrolled in the higher education policy, it is expected that they will become active players in the development of the economy and also in the implementation of the policy when they pay the loans disbursed to them earlier. Some of the beneficiaries of the policy default from paying their debts, and hence leaving the government with a huge debt to pay (Yang, and McCall, 2014, p. 29). The situation worsens as the government has to pay up for the debt and still continue with the subsidy program. Some of the beneficiaries also suffer from brain drain and hence the knowledge the government has invested in ends up being poached by other countries. When such a person is poached he/she may default from paying the government hence not supporting the continuation of the policy.
The political factors that impact the implementation and development of the higher education policy are mostly caused by the economic status and the budget that the government has dedicated to the development of the country. When long-term ideas for building a nation run up beside the limitations set up by a low tax-and-spend institution, low tax always will win in the short-term (Fitzsimons, 2015, p. 3). Australian policy and politics long-terms comprises of summation of all short-terms. When the substance of research and higher education are not discussed by the political parties, individuals will depend on the media, civil society, the research centers and higher education institutions themselves and the general public to advance and define issues related to higher education. A cut in public funding with no increase in private funding has been evidenced in Australia, a nation which private investment is relatively high. The international student market providing almost one dollar to high learning institutions has been in stagnations since 2009 (Bowen, 2018, p. 81). Australian government is responsible for formulating policies with extended vision supporting dramatic surge of research centers and universities in East Asia.
In this case the major political factor affecting the policy is that the senate is hesitant on whether to pass more laws concerning the policy that will lead the government to directing more resources to the policy (Brown, and Carasso, 2013, p. 133). The main reason as to why the senate is hesitant is because the populations of the students who are enrolled into the policy annually are increasing rapidly. When the population is high then the government will have to direct more resources to the policy hence crippling the other sectors of the economy. Both sides of the Australian politics shows commitment to the OECD standard policy mantras on the need for advancement in productivity, the innovation generated by research and its economic importance, and the importance of participation in higher education development.
The government may also consider reducing the subsidy percentage given to each student hence making inconveniencing to some of the students enrolled into the program most especially those who not able to cater for their educational needs. This leads some of them to dropping out of school when they lack the means to cater for their educational needs (Böhlmark, and Lindahl, 2015, p. 529). This then leads the policy to become ineffective since the targeted group does not benefit from the policy.
Historically, there has been uncertain improvement in students’ equity; however numerous Australians groups remain unsatisfactorily under-represented, including remote and rural dwellers, indigenous Australians, and those from low socio-economic origins. The inequity rise in postgraduate education is an issue, as is poorer rates completion for students who are from disadvantaged groups. There have been historical changes in practices and concepts of social justice in Australian’s higher education policy. The policy arena has experienced changes starting just after World War II. For instance, the Higher Education Agreement in 1973 between the Australian government and the United States proposed that the Commonwealth was to assume full universities and colleges financial responsibility and was to occur with conjunction to tuition fees abolishment (Berends, 2015, p. 169).
Historical factors affecting the development and implementation are linked to the factors which occurred in the past regarding education in the universities. Education in our current context is estimated to be four times more expensive as compared three decades ago. In the 1980s, university education cost approximately $8000 while it now costs at an approximate price of $35,000 annually (McLendon, Hearn, & Mokher, 2009, p. 698). College education cost at an approximate value of $2000, while it now costs at an average of $9000 annually. From this historical fact, it is expected that the cost of education is set to increase in the coming years (Gale, & Parker, 2013, p. 798). When the government analyses the possibility of the cost of education increasing, it leads them to hesitation on whether to proceed with the higher education policy noting that the population of the students is also set to upsurge eventually.
From the analysis, it is clear that based on historical facts, there is the issue of brain drain and also school dropout rates. Such instances affect the government involvement in the policy as some of the knowledge that it invests in ends up being poached by other countries. This also affects the functionality of the policy at large. School drop outs also play a big role in the delayed development of the policy as some of the beneficiaries take the policy for granted hence leading to wastage of resources put forth by the government.
References
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Li, J., 2018. Conceptualizing Soft Power Conversion Model of Higher Education. In Conceptualizing Soft Power of Higher Education (pp. 19-65). Springer, Singapore.
Auranen, O. and Nieminen, M., 2010. University research funding and publication performance—An international comparison. Research Policy, 39(6), pp.822-834.
Nicol, D., Thomson, A. and Breslin, C., 2014. Rethinking feedback practices in higher education: a peer review perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(1), pp.102-122.
Bachan, R., 2014. Students’ expectations of debt in UK higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 39(5), pp.848-873.
Jarvis, P., 2014. The age of learning: education and the knowledge society. Routledge. The Economic Journal, 107(442), 738-751.
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Brown, R. and Carasso, H., 2013. Everything for sale? The marketisation of UK higher education. Routledge. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 13(2), 129-145.
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Fitzsimons, P., 2015. Human capital theory and education. In Encyclopedia of educational philosophy and theory (pp. 1-4). Springer Singapore.
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Belfield, C.R. and Levin, H.M., 2015. Privatizing educational choice: Consequences for parents, schools, and public policy. Routledge. Higher Education, 14(3), 53-66.
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Böhlmark, A. and Lindahl, M., 2015. Independent Schools and Long?run Educational Outcomes: Evidence from Sweden’s Large?scale Voucher Reform. Economica, 82(327), pp.508-551.
Boyd, W.L., Crowson, R.L. and Mawhinney, H.M., 2015. The politics of education and the new institutionalism: Reinventing the American school. Routledge. Higher education, 43(3), 281-309.
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