Recent Publications ignore Essentials in Definition of Public Education.

Recent Australian publications indicate the dangers inherent in the ignorant, totally inadequate  definition of public education contained in a policy resolution by the Fourth World Congress of Education International 22-26 July 2004 in Brazil. (See Press Release 255 at www.adogs.info/pr255.htm) Contained within this Resolution is the recommendation that the objectives and principles of public education be left to be 'established democratically'  by public authorities. The problem with such a definition is illustrated by the Australian experience.

At both the State and Federal level, Australian education authorities are seeking to set the agenda for education in the twenty first century. Yet in their proposal, no  State or  Federal authority in Australia has been prepared to mention  public education. let alone define it.

The Victorian State Government also is  developing guidelines for education in the next five years. Nor does the definition of public education appear in the documentation from this State.

Announcement from Federal Minister Gillard

According to her 7 September 2008 Media Release, Speak up for Education in the 21st Century, Federal Minister for Education, Julia Gillard is inviting parents, teachers and interested members of the community to 'have an historic opportunity to contribute to the direction of schooling in Australia.'

She claims to be inviting people to outline their visions for the future through the third National Declaration of Education Goals for Young Australians. But nowhere in her Media Release or attached draft National Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians is there any mention of public education. This draft document has been released by MCEETYA .

MCEETYA: The Organisation.

What is MCEETYA? This name is shorthand for the Ministerial Council of Education, Employment and Youth Affairs.

Full members of MCEETYA are Minister/s of Education from the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the Federal Government and New Zealand. Observer status is given to Papua New Guinea, Norfolk Island and East Timor. One surprising member of this Council is New Zealand. This country has public and private integrated schools. Why should private school people from New Zealand be defining and dealing with public education in Australia?

In actual fact MCEETYA consults with the private school bureaucrats and representatives. These contacts have influenced the above document. DOGS suggest that it is no accident that the concept of 'public education' has fallen off the official radar. But why should people connected with the private sector be consulted about the well being and definition of public education?

Were the Hawthorn Hawks consulted about the well-being of the Geelong Cats before the AFL Grand Final?

MCEETYA: The Document called The National Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

The above is a thirteen page document containing thousands of words. But there is not one collocation of the words 'public education'. The only reference to the word  'public' occurs on the last page. But this is in the context of the expression,  'public document'.

 Victorian Government Proposals

In April 2008, Bronwyn Pike launched a Media Release and document entitled, Blueprint for Early Childhood Development and School Reform. She invited Victorians to 'have their say in shaping the future of school education and early childhood services'. DOGS can find the word 'public' twice in these documents. But there is no mention of the concept of 'public education.'

One  appearance of the word 'public' occurs in the Media release when she invites the Victorian public to have their say.

The other reference to 'public' is in the expression 'public consultation process', in the above Discussion paper mentioned above. Imagine, there are thousands and thousands of words about education, yet no mention of 'public education.'

Definition of Public Education

The definition of public education cannot be left to the tender mercies of public authorities that ignore the concept. Public education is an idea and ideal hammered out in the Australian context in the nineteenth century. No Australian promoter or supporter of public education with any knowledge of recent or distant history would leave the definition to public authorities. The challenge to Australians and the world is: try and find an Australian bureaucrat, or Minister for Education that actually supports, promotes and knows what public education means, and has the intestinal fortitude to stand up for it.

Wake Up Education International:

DOGS calls upon the Education International to drop the current naive definition of public education and learn from the Australian experience. There are eight essential indicia of public education systems which are genuinely free, secular and universal. These are

Education systems with schools that are:

• public in purpose

• public in outcomes

• public in access ( open to all children, teachers etc, regardless of class, creed, culture, colour  or geographical location)

• public in ownership

• public in control

• public in funding  with sole public funding because only public schools are

• public in accountability

• Public in provision:  the government must accept responsibility for provision of public education. It is not appropriate to delegate provision to private or religious  providers.