CHAPTER 2 - The Organization of Public Education

Abstract

This chapter discusses the organization of public education. In Australia, the departments of education have been left considerable freedom and independence in developing schools and in planning curricula in accordance with what they from time to time consider to be the best educational practice they can afford. The chapter presents the main disability arising from the direct control of education by governments. An officially induced caution and timidity in the treatment in the classroom of all things which are the matters of strong controversy within the community; this disability obviously results in tame teaching of some subjects, and is discouraging to alert and socially oriented young minds. The chapter also discusses the administrative centralization that is so fundamental a feature of the organization of public education in all the Australian States and which has so often been attacked by native and visiting critics.