Salvatore Babones is joined by Blaise Joseph, Research Fellow in education and a former secondary school teacher. Blaise has written research papers on school funding, evidence-based education policy, and national testing in Australia.
The current haphazard school arrangements are harming children’s education, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Given the massive previous taxpayer investments in technology, why weren’t the States and Territories better prepared for remote learning? There is light at the end of the tunnel. Parents and policymakers have generally had enough, and schools are now on the path to completely re-open in most states and territories with the notable exception of Victoria.
Blaise will give us an overview of the current status of school closures in Australia highlighting inconsistencies and mixed messaging between states. We’ll ask what the impact of school closures mean for students learning, especially for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds? What does the medical evidence say? Isn’t it possible that there are some benefits of students learning from home?