By Adam Hanieh
ADELAIDE — The former federal Labor government's agenda of developing closer links between industry and education has been consummated in a deal between a South Australian high school and AWA Defence Industries. The $30,000 deal between Salisbury High School and AWADI claims to "forge links between industry and education and boost youth employment".
In reality, it involves a further narrowing of educational options for working-class youth in order to meet industry needs. The deal would mean that AWADI's logo would be displayed at school functions and on all school signs, school magazines and newsletters. Students would landscape AWADI's Salisbury site and cook for AWADI personnel. AWADI staff would be trained in computer technology at Salisbury High and would sponsor "enterprise awards" for the school.
Deals of this sort dovetail with the Finn and Mayer Reports from 1991. These reports were initiated by the Labor government and strongly influenced by big business. They heavily promoted vocational education in which students receive direct industry training, at a much earlier age, focusing on basic skills rather than a general education and critical thinking.
The basic premise of the reports was that because industry needs a flexible, mobile work force, young people could expect to have many different jobs in their lifetimes (i.e. they could expect to be sacked often). The logical conclusion would be a return to the days of trade schools for most and university for those who can afford it.
Alongside the push for industry-driven curricula are the cuts in education spending and the entry of private companies into schools. The Liberal state government is now considering outsourcing all school data systems and record keeping to a private company. Unions involved in schools have opposed this move, and ran a successful campaign last year over similar plans to outsource school administrations to the multinational Serco.