25 Mar 2015
Education Students requiring master’s degrees
The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN ( 15:18 ): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills a question regarding education students in South Australia.
Leave granted.
The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: It was reported in The Advertiser in February this year, that South Australian universities have voiced concerns over the government’s policy of forcing education students to obtain master’s degrees. They have warned that, if a compulsory master’s pathway is enforced, many more students could end up studying for longer but, potentially, gaining less practical experience. The head of the School of Education at the Adelaide University, Jan Keightley, has called upon the government to address the need to introduce a diversity of pathways for teaching students. My questions for the minister are:
1.To what extent was the minister’s department consulted and had input into the decision to impose a compulsory master’s pathway?
2.What evidence or research did the government review and consider when deciding to introduce a compulsory master’s pathway?
3.Does the government intend to review the current practical teaching requirements of the master’s program in light of current public comment?
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