Life is full of contradictions. Life under Tony Abbott seems chock full of contradictions.
If you listen to the government’s views on business, productivity is king, queen and possibly the court jester. The focus of productivity is the humble worker. Everyone seems to agree that an educated worker is a more productive worker hence the drive to have more kids complete school and not quit early. In fact tertiary education is something the government tells us will improve productivity.
School and further training is merging. Schools are now undertaking trade training for students in their senior years. Technical colleges provide training for those who have left school but want to complete their final school exams. The line between schools and further training is blurring.
The government seems happy to provide funding to kids at school, but once you leave school, you should pay for your own training through HECS. If the line is blurring as to where one ends and the other begins. why not charge HECS for school kids? Start HECS for kindergarten students. It would take the load off parents to fund their kids school years. By the time a child has been from kindergarten to gaining their PhD, they will probably owe the government the best part of a million dollars.
If they are lucky enough to get a job, they can spend their whole life repaying the government for their education. Productivity jumps. As a bonus, the government has a guaranteed stream of income for the whole life of each citizen. Even when they go on a pension because they could not afford to be self funded retirees, they can still repay their HECS debt.
The government giveth; the government taketh away. Blessed is the name of the government.
Of course we need an acronym. How about LESS. Lifetime Education Support Scheme. I can imagine an advertising campaign “Have children and pay LESS” or “A Lifetime of LESS because we care”
I am surprised that the current government, or some of the more socially aware press (think Allan Jones and Andrew Bolt) have not thought of this before.
Get rid of the contradiction of only paying HECS for tertiary education. Make everyone pay to be productive.
Australia – a land of opportunities. Let’s exploit them.