Sociology Essay: Education System Framework and Societal Impact

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the Australian education system. It begins by outlining the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which standardizes educational qualifications across the nation, and highlights its role in providing flexible pathways and national/international recognition. The essay then discusses various support programs implemented by the Australian government, including enhanced school funding, strategies to improve teaching quality, and higher education disability support. Furthermore, it examines the impact of the education system on Australian society, emphasizing its contribution to geopolitical stability and economic prosperity through high literacy rates. However, it also acknowledges the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, including lower attendance rates and higher dropout rates, and their associated negative societal impacts. The essay concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the importance of addressing inequalities to ensure the overall effectiveness of the education system.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
Australia is considered to be one of the major choices of students all across the
world due to its superior quality of educational system. The quality of educational
system of the nation is reflected in its literacy rate. Since 2010, the literacy rate of the
nation is as high as 99 percent (macrotrends.net, 2020). The remaining 1 percent
chiefly signifies lack of literacy amongst the aboriginal and Torres islander population. In
the following paragraphs, a detailed discussion of the educational framework of
Australia has been conducted. Additionally the support system of the Educational
system and the impact of this system on the Australian society has been discussed.
Discussion
Educational framework in Australia
The Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) specifies the educational qualification
standard in the nation. The (AQF) separates Australian education system from several
nations. Founded in 1995, the AQF is a national framework that includes, in addition to
the school-leaving certificate, certificates from the tertiary education sector (higher
education and technical education and training) to the Senior Secondary Education
Certificate. The chief aim of AQF is as follows:
1. To provide a nationally consistent recognition of outcomes that has been
achieved in the post compulsory education (Dolan, 2019).
2. To develop flexible pathways that will allow the students to move easily between
education training

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3. To promote both national as well as international recognition of qualification that
has been offered in Australia (Teather & Hillman, 2017)
4. To standardise credit arrangements for students to changing institution or higher
educational levels
AQF governs all Australian qualifications, which formally determines the standard of
education indicated by each credential. In general, each certification leads to the next
certification (see below) within the context of the school.
Getting a nationally standardized program makes it easy for students to seek
their studies, because the direction to take is obvious. This also makes it much easier to
pass from various states and regions or institutions, since there is no ambiguity created
by varying credential titles and standards of education. The total number of AQF level is
10 and following are its qualification type.
The AQF offers certificates within a common system in three major education sectors
(the school sector, the vocational education and training (VET) sector, and the higher
education sector), and provides advice on the ties between them (Aqf.edu.au, 2020).
These are the approved certificates, categorized as per the field in which they are most
frequently issued.
Schools sector VET sector Higher education
sector
Senior Secondary Certificate of Certificate I
Certificate II
Diploma
Advanced diploma

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Education
Note: VET is increasingly offered in the
schools sector
Certificate III
Certificate IV
Diploma
Advanced diploma
Vocational graduate
certificate
Vocational graduate
diploma
Associate degree
Bachelor degree
Bachelor honours
degree
Graduate certificate
Graduate diploma
Masters degree
Doctoral degree
Support programs
While the overall progress in education is evident from the year 2000, a declining
literacy and numeracy achieving has been evidenced amongst the disadvantaged
students that includes students with lower socioeconomic backgrounds, indigenous
students and students with disability, in recent years. In order to deal with this issue, the
Australian government has introduced a good number of support programs. one of the
major support programs includes enhaced school funding. According to an estimate by
the Grattan Institute in 2013, both governments expanded school education spending
by 37 per cent ($11.3 billion) in real terms from 2002–03 to 2012–13
(education.vic.gov.au, 2020). Data from the Commonwealth budget indicate a similar
trend—over the same span, overall Australian government spending on Australian
schools increased by an unprecedented 58 per cent in real terms. Another major
support program includes strategies taken by the government in order improve the

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quality of teaching. Governments in Australia are following common approaches for
increasing the teaching standard. These strategies include: raising the teaching
profession entrant standard, enhancing as well as raising the level of teacher education
courses, national teacher professional standards and professional development and
performance rewards (education.gov.a, 2016). There are also services for recruiting
high-performing students and other trained and seasoned people to the profession, and
for encouraging teachers to serve in classrooms. Along with this, support programs like
higher education disability support program have also been organized. The Disability
Support Program allows funding to qualifying providers of higher education to pursue
programs to help reduce barriers to access for disabled students.
Impact of the system on Australian Society
The educational system of a nation imposes a direct impact on the progress of
the society. Education contributes to creativity, improves efficiency, and directly affects
the health, well-being, and social mobility of a society member. Considering the fact the
Australian government invest a commendable amount of financial resources on
education, the education al system has ensured geopolitical stability in the society.
According to Dolan, (2019), lack of literacy in a nation makes it easier for terrorists to
use free education as a way of radicalizing society member. The high literacy rate
ensures no such risks. Along with this, effective funding of the government in order to
educate disadvantaged students ensures low unemployment rate in the ration and this
can be evident from its economic prosperity. However Teather& Hillman, (2017) have
pointed out while a huge amount of focus has been concentrated on the non indigenous
population of the society, lack of effective support program can be evidenced when it

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comes to Aboriginal and Torres islander students. The attendance rate of aboriginal
students has got reduced from 85 percent to 83 percent along with a stable increment in
school dropout rate. This in turn is imposing negative impact of the society like low
employment rate, high superstation, heath issues and high mortality rate amongst
indigenous Australians.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the educational system of
Australia is one of the most efficient educational system across the world. The efficiency
of thy stem has imposed positive impact on its geopolitical stability and economic
prosperity. However, when it comes to the indigenous population, this part of the society
still evidence negligence and their poor education status is imposing negative impact on
the society

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References
Aqf.edu.au, 2020. Australian Qualifications Framework, Australian Government. [online]
Aqf.edu.au. Available at: <https://www.aqf.edu.au/> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Dolan, L. (2019). The Humanities and Social Sciences in Australian Schooling: An
Overview. Where HASS Thou Gone?, 14. Retrived from:
https://www.austcolled.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ACE-Professional-
Educator_Where-HASS-thou-gone.pdf#page=5
education.gov.a, 2016. Higher Education Disability Support Program. [online] Available
at: <https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-disability-support-
programme> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
education.vic.gov.au, 2020. Home-Based Educational Support Program. [online]
Education.vic.gov.au. Available at:
<https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/learningneeds/Pages/
homebased.aspx> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
macrotrends.net, 2020. Australia Literacy Rate 1990-2020. [online] Macrotrends.net.
Available at: <https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/AUS/australia/literacy-rate>
[Accessed 21 April 2020].
Teather, S., & Hillman, W. (2017). The invisible students with disabilities in the
Australian education system. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International
Journal. Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wendy_Hillman/publication/319603980_The

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_invisible_students_with_disabilities_in_the_Australian_education_system/links/
5a4cba43a6fdcc3e99d0a6eb/The-invisible-students-with-disabilities-in-the-
Australian-education-system.pdf