Changes in secondary education in Australia

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A striking feature of the post-war educational scene in Australia has been the growth of secondary education. Rapidly changing economic, demographic and social conditions have obliged all states to pay serious attention to the kind and amount of education required by adolescents and to the ways in which such can be best provided. In the past decade four states x) have conducted major inquiries into the provision of second? ary education and all six have undertaken extensive expansion programmes. Developments in the states have much in common but there are numer? ous significant differences. In the following generalized description and analysis of major changes and trends in Australian secondary education attention is drawn where appropriate to important interstate variations. Consideration is first given to an exposition of the main changes and trends, then to the reasons for the changes, then to factors adversely affecting the implementation of changes and, finally, to an appraisal of the changes. Data for the dicussion come from official reports, relevant literature and replies to a questionnaire which was completed by representatives of the government department of education, university departments of edu? cation and the major teachers* organization in each state.