National Report on Schooling in Australia 2010

Part 6

Senior schooling and youth transitions

Overview

The MCEECDYA Key Performance Measures (KPMs) as defined in the Measurement Framework for Schooling in Australia include measures for performance in the National Assessment Program (NAP) and for participation and attainment, with a focus on:

  • engagement of young people in vocational education and training (VET)

  • participation

  • school completion and attainment

  • student attendance.

The KPMs related to NAP are reported for 2010 in the Student Achievement section of this report. The KPMs for the participation and attendance of students in primary and junior secondary school are reported in the Student Engagement section of this report.
This section of the report deals with the participation and attainment of older students, including those in senior secondary school. For senior school students, it outlines participation in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the completion of secondary education (Year 12). However it also deals with the participation of young people in education, training and work beyond school, and their attainments in post-school education and training.
These measures reflect the policy intent of the Melbourne Declaration to define educational goals, not just for school students, but for all young Australians. VET engagement, participation and attainment are reported in terms of qualifications within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF is a comprehensive national framework of qualifications in the school, vocational education and training (VET), and higher education sectors in Australia.
Qualifications within the AQF include:

  • Senior Secondary Certificates issued by State and Territory school assessment and accreditation authorities to students meeting requirements on completion of Year 12

  • VET qualifications at various certificate and diploma levels delivered by institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and other Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)

  • higher education diplomas and degrees provided through Australian universities and other educational institutions.

Detailed information on qualification levels is contained in the AQF Implementation Handbook.¹
The KPMs reported in this section indicate progress in achieving the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed outcome in the National Education Agreement and the National Partnership Agreement on Youth Attainment and Transitions that young people make a successful transition from school to work and further study. They are also indicators of the success of Australian schooling in preparing and empowering young people to do so.

¹ For 2010 this is the Fourth Edition of the AQF Implementation Handbook published in 2007.