Diversity in education must be embraced

Both public and private schools deserve Government support as variety in education leads to greater achievement, ability and diversity, LNP Leader John-Paul Langbroek said today.

Mr Langbroek made the comments while launching the Menzies Research Centre’s new book, “Variety and Choice” by Dr Graeme Starr, at a function in Parliament House today.

Mr Langbroek said the book, which examines the roles and funding of public and private schools, was being released at a time when education was at the forefront of public debate.

“As Dr Starr notes, too often the non-Government schooling sector is treated as a different competing system, when really Government and non-Government schools are complementary,” he said.

“About a third of Queensland students attend non-Government schools, which takes the pressure off government schools and in turn improves the education of all students.”

Mr Langbroek said Queensland had in the past been national leaders in education – a fact acknowledged in Dr Starr’s book – but today were at the bottom of the class in literacy and numeracy results.

“The Bligh Labor Government always blames the fact that Queensland is different for our education woes – we have a different school starting age, a different curriculum, a different approach,” he said.

“However, as this book shows Queensland has always had differences in our education system and in the past this has often led us to be the best.

“Queensland has been a high achiever in education before, and we can be again. Embracing variety and choice in education is essential to producing better outcomes.

“Dr Starr’s book is a timely and valuable examination, not just of where we have come from in our education system, but also of the need to see through the irrelevant arguments, and concentrate on the reason for our education system – to provide the best possible learning environment for our children.”