Early school leaving in australia: Issues for education and training policy

Abstract

The new agenda for education and training in Australia which has emerged during the 1990s aims to increase the participation of young people in post-compulsory education and training. The policies are driven by an assumption that Australia's micro-economic reform requires a workforce which has been equipped by the education system with specific skills for employment. However, within this policy development, little consideration has been given to the issue of early school leavers. This paper argues that significant numbers of young Australians are likely to continue to leave school early. Their location in the labour market means that they are an increasingly disadvantaged group whose access ..