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Good morning, early birds. When it comes to reading, science and maths, Australian students are underperforming, and in Canberra, Gladys Liu is under scrutiny over links to Chinese crime. It’s the news you need to know, with Rachel Withers. | |||||||||||||
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ALARMEDThe PISA global education rankings show Australian students are performing at record low standards in reading, maths and science, with NSW recording the biggest fall of all, Nine reports. Education Minister Dan Tehan said the results should have “alarm bells ringing” and plans to raise the results at next week’s Education Council meeting. Australian students’ maths performance has fallen to the OECD average for the first time in the comparison’s history, with 23 countries now recording “significantly higher” results. The proportion of Australian students among the low performers has increased, and fewer students are now meeting the National Proficient Standard. | |||||||||||||
IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOWLiberal MP Gladys Liu has been linked to a Liberal donor at the centre of a major organised crime probe, Nine reports. Liu secured access to the government for Allen Saylav, who was later implicated in a cash drop of suspected drug money linked to Crown high-roller Zhang Genjiang. Saylav, who is endorsed by the Chinese Communist Party, was then CEO of the Australian subsidiary of Chinese-controlled green energy group Brighsun, which wanted to revive the Australian auto industry by manufacturing electric buses in Victoria. There is, however, no suggestion she had knowledge of any criminal behaviour. Senator Jacqui Lambie, meanwhile, has blasted the major parties over Chinese influence and is calling on Australia to pull back economic ties with China. | |||||||||||||
SUMMER IS COMINGEmergency bushfire warnings have been issued for Sydney, while “cracks” in Victoria’s emergency system are expected to be laid bare within weeks. More than 20% of the Blue Mountains world heritage area has been burnt by out-of-control bushfires in NSW, with hazardous smoke blanketing Sydney. A scorching summer is expected to cause blackouts in Victoria, and authorities are scrambling to ensure the state’s firefighting fleet is prepared for an early start to the year’s fire season. A West Australian coroner investigating 2015 bushfire deaths has warned that climate change is increasing the risks of bushfires, while the World Meteorological Organization says the last decade was one of “exceptional heat” — almost certainly the hottest on record. | |||||||||||||
THEY REALLY SAID THAT?
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THE COMMENTARIATThe PISA problem: ‘The rest of the world is moving away from us’ – Jordan Baker (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald): “We will hear myriad reasons, as everyone uses the results as an opportunity to push their perspective. Some will say it’s due to NAPLAN and the My School website. Others will say it’s about funding, or curriculum, or student engagement or a failure to teach critical thinking. But there is one thing we know for certain that will improve our education system: investment in quality teaching. Research repeatedly shows it is the most powerful driver of a student’s performance. And more needs to be done on this front – Australia needs to both raise the calibre of students studying to become teachers, and to develop its workforce. That would mean increased scrutiny of university education degrees, by tightening conditions around who is accepted, and what teachers-to-be are taught. It would mean far better workforce planning across the board, but for mathematics in particular.” PISA results: How did system get this so wrong? ($) – Rebecca Urban (The Australian): “The irony of Australia’s predicament is that a stack of credible evidence already exists as to how young people acquire knowledge, learn new skills, and develop higher order analysis and problem-solving skills. After all, humans have been learning, creating, inventing and achieving since day dot. A rigorous knowledge-based curriculum has been associated with superior learning outcomes in many domains, and is likely to be credited with helping to lift results for the United Kingdom. Equally, explicit teaching practices, which is the act of breaking down new topics into small parts and involves explanation, demonstration and practice, are associated with better learning outcomes than more recently popular inquiry-style learning approaches. Meanwhile, high expectations for all students and disciplined classrooms are essential.” As a father, I found Julie-Ann’s story heartbreaking ($) – Anthony Albanese – (The Daily Telegraph): “Last Thursday it was my honour to meet Julie-Ann Finney. Julie-Ann outlined the circumstances of the death of her son David, a former Royal Australian Navy sailor who took his own life in February. As a father, I found Julie-Ann’s story heartbreaking. No mother or father should have to bury their child in such circumstances. Our nation has lost too many Australian Defence Force veterans to suicide. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has revealed 415 Defence personnel took their own lives between 2001 and 2017, including serving, ex-serving and reserve employees.” | |||||||||||||
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