HSC examination

High school in Australia culminates with the HSC examination, a grading process that generally determines the starting pathway for a great majority of students.

It is difficult to under-estimate the importance of the HSC examination, but maybe it is possible to over-estimate its importance. Many professionals have made successful careers, after a HSC failure, by restarting education some years later. I have coached some such persons.

Originally the HSC examination was devised as a grading mechanism for students who wished to pursue university study. But today it is regarded as a minimum standard of education. However, there is a danger that Australia has become obsessed with educational qualifications that often go far beyond the need of the profession. At the very same time Australia is short of competent trades persons. And the TAFE system is in decline.

Today, if you wish to be a primary school teacher the minimum qualification is a four-year university degree. Yet, even with this qualification, I am still coaching students who in high school who cannot do even the simplest arithmetic without the use of a calculator. Also, there are no many high school students unable to read.

For years of high school mathematics teaching

During my many years of high school mathematics teaching, I had many colleagues who had either two years of teacher training or three years. Often these were my best teachers. I do not feel that their ability to teach would have improved if they had been compelled to complete the extra years of study to gain a degree. I am sure that doctors could say the same about the nursing profession.

Nevertheless, I value the many years of university study that I completed and it helped my teaching. Because I became an extension two specialist preparing elite students. In some schools I taught all the extension 2 classes every year. But I had students in these classes because of the great teaching in the junior high school done by my lesser trained colleagues.

Next week we will look at university entrance exams in the top four nations in education; Singapore, south Korea, Taiwan and Japan.