By Sean Healy
The federal government has announced a $143 million scheme to link dole payments to literacy and numeracy levels amongst unemployed young people. From April, dole claimants between 18 and 24 years old will be tested for literacy and numeracy, and those who "fail to meet standards" will be required to attend remedial courses. If they refuse, their payments will be reduced or cancelled.
Sydney Resistance organiser Sarah Peart told Resistance magazine: "This is an outrageous attack on young people. If the government was really concerned about the education levels of young people, it would increase funding to universities and high schools rather than cutting the public education budget and punishing those of us it considers beneath its standards.
"This is yet another case of the Coalition targeting young people, and already disadvantaged young people in particular. What happens to all those people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, or those who have learning difficulties and so on? They will not be allowed even the possibility of getting waged work for up to six months while they do these courses in order to keep receiving the pitiful dole payment."
Peart added: "Unemployment will not be solved by blaming young people for being 'illiterate'. It will be solved by creating real, permanent jobs for young people, with decent wages."