❓ Mr Rundle questions the Minister for Education about declining ATAR participation rates in WA. The Minister acknowledges the concern, outlines a review underway, and emphasizes that ATAR is not the only pathway, but expresses concern about discouraging suitable students.
AnsweredQoN 87Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY
ADMISSION RANK — PARTICIPATION
87. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Tertiary Institutions
Service Centre's figures revealed in December 2022 that Australian
tertiary admission rank—ATAR—participation rates in Western Australia
had hit 33.7 per cent. One year on, ATAR participation had fallen to 28.08 per cent,
the lowest in Australia. What are the Minister for Education and his director
general doing to turn these devastating statistics around?
ADMISSION RANK — PARTICIPATION
87. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Minister for Education:
I refer to the Tertiary Institutions
Service Centre's figures revealed in December 2022 that Australian
tertiary admission rank—ATAR—participation rates in Western Australia
had hit 33.7 per cent. One year on, ATAR participation had fallen to 28.08 per cent,
the lowest in Australia. What are the Minister for Education and his director
general doing to turn these devastating statistics around?
AnswerView source ↗
I am glad that the member asked me
that question, because I will tell him what we have been doing. When I raised
ATAR participation when I came into the position of Minister for Education, I said
that this was something that we were concerned about. We instigated a post-secondary
system review, which has concluded. This will not be about just ATAR; it will
be greater than that. I look forward to receiving the report in three or four weeks,
and I am sure it will have many suggestions and recommendations about how we
should be tackling this issue.
I should say that ATAR is only part
of the situation. Not everyone needs to do ATAR; not everyone should do ATAR.
My concern was that those who should be doing it are being discouraged from
doing it. That is my concern. I am very keen to move forward. I look forward to
receiving the report. The member will, of course, get the chance to read it in
due course—if he is mindful of reading it, because I know that he does
not like to do a lot of research, but I am sure he might read this report.
that question, because I will tell him what we have been doing. When I raised
ATAR participation when I came into the position of Minister for Education, I said
that this was something that we were concerned about. We instigated a post-secondary
system review, which has concluded. This will not be about just ATAR; it will
be greater than that. I look forward to receiving the report in three or four weeks,
and I am sure it will have many suggestions and recommendations about how we
should be tackling this issue.
I should say that ATAR is only part
of the situation. Not everyone needs to do ATAR; not everyone should do ATAR.
My concern was that those who should be doing it are being discouraged from
doing it. That is my concern. I am very keen to move forward. I look forward to
receiving the report. The member will, of course, get the chance to read it in
due course—if he is mindful of reading it, because I know that he does
not like to do a lot of research, but I am sure he might read this report.
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