Author Description

In 1983-84 high levels of youth unemployment, together with uncertainty and controversy about Australia's economic future generated demands, once again, for a review of the quality of schooling. Many of the critics of the education system have characterised its concern for equality of the last decade, as the substitution of the goal of mediocrity for the goal of excellence. The Commonwealth Government responded to these demands by initiating three major reviews of its role in schooling. These were a Ministerial Review of the structure and membership of the Commonwealth Schools Commission, the Quality of Education Review Committee and a comprehensive evaluation by the Schools Commission of its own Specific Purpose Programs. 'Equality' was delivered as the Presidential Address to the 1984 Annual Conference of the Australian Council of State School Organizations.