Australian Educational System

2. The Australian education
system is considered one of the
best education systems in the
world, for both domestic and
international students.
It enjoys high standards,
a comprehensive curriculum,
and highly qualified teachers.

3. Some of Education Legal Basis and its
Revisions
• National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011
• Vocational Education and Training (Commonwealth Powers) Act
2010
• Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009
• Higher Education Amendment Act 2008
• Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2005
• Vocational Education and Training Act 2005
• Higher Education Support Act 2003
• Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002
• Higher Education Act 2001 No 102
• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000
• Higher Education Act 1988

4. Australian, State and Territory
Government Responsibilities
Education and training is a shared
responsibility of the Australian (Federal)
Government and the individual State and
Territory Governments.

5. Public Education
 Government schools (public schools) are run by the
respective state government agency.
 They offer free education; however, many government
schools ask parents to pay a contribution fee and a
materials and services charge for stationery, textbooks,
sports, uniforms, school camps and other schooling
costs that are not covered under government funding.
Government schools may be further categorized into:
• open or comprehensive
• selective
• special, and;
• specialist

6. Private Education
 Private schools or non-government schools
operate under the authority of state or territory
governments and receive government funding
but are not operated by government education
departments.
 Non-government schools are:
1. Catholic Schools
2. Independent Schools

7. Preschool
Preschool and pre-prep in Australia are relatively
unregulated and are not compulsory.
– The first exposure of Australian children is to learn
with others outside of traditional parenting called
daycare or a parent-run playgroup.
– Preschool education is separate from primary school
in all states and territories, except Western Australia
and Queensland where pre-school education is
taught as part of the primary school system.

8. Primary Schools
Primary and secondary schools are compulsory
between the ages of 6 and 16. School education is for
13 years, divided into: primary school for 7 or 8 years,
from kindergarten or preschool to year 6 or 7.
Secondary school for 3 to 4 years - years 7 to 10 or
years 8 to 10.
Government primary schools are free of attendance
charge while Catholic and independent schools usually
charge attendance fees.

9. Common Ages
• Primary
– Grade/Year 1: 5–7 year old
– Grade/Year 2: 7–8 year old
– Grade/Year 3: 8–9 year old
– Grade/Year 4: 9–10 year old
– Grade/Year 5: 10–11 year old
– Grade/Year 6: 11–12 year old
– Grade/Year 7: 12–13 year old

10. Secondary Schools
 Secondary schools in Australia are also called
high schools and colleges (or junior,
intermediate, or senior colleges).
 They vary across each Australian state and
territory, but they generally cover Year 7 to Year 10
(compulsory period of education) and beyond to
Year 12.

11. • Secondary
– Year 7: 12–13 year old
– Year 8: 13–14 year old
– Year 9: 14–15 year old
– Year 10: 15–16 year old
– Year 11: 16–17 year old
– Year 12: 17–19 year old
Common Ages

12. Middle Schools
 Middle school models are relatively uncommon as
students go directly from primary school to
secondary school.
 As an alternative to the middle school model, some
secondary schools divided their grades into:
* Junior High School (Years 7, 8, 9 and 10)
* Senior High School (Years 11 and 12)
* Some have three levels:
- Junior (Years 7 and 8)
- Intermediate (Years 9 and 10)
- Senior (Years 11 and 12).

13. Combined and Central Schools
 Combined schools are schools that have
classes from both primary and secondary year
levels. These schools may be located in an
urban, regional or rural area and can be
government or non-government schools.
 Central schools are predominantly, but not
exclusively, government schools located in a
rural areal that provides both primary and
lower secondary education to students,
usually concluding at Year 10.

14. Tertiary Education
Tertiary education (or higher education) in Australia
is primarily a study at university or a Registered
Training Organization (RTO) studying Diploma or
above in order to receive a qualification or further
skills and training.
A higher education provider is a body that is
established and recognized by or under the law of the
Australian Government, a State, the Australian Capital
Territory or the Northern Territory. VET (Vocational
Education and Training) providers, both public and private
are registered by state and territory governments.

15. Mixed-Sex and Single-Sex Education
In Australia, both government and non-government
schools operate co-educational and single-sex
educational environments for students. But most of
number of schools are co-educational, with few
government schools operating single-sex schools.
All government single-sex schools are secondary
schools.
The majority of single-sex schools in Australia are non-
government or independent schools, like Catholic
independent schools. However, most of the government
schools, are co-educational schools.

16. Postgraduate Education
 Masters degree programs take 1-2 years to complete. The
course of study is usually two years after a bachelor degree;
however, a master' s degree can be obtained in one year if the
student' s bachelor degree was obtained with honors.
 A full-time PhD normally takes three years. Some students take
longer, but this usually depends on registration and funding
arrangements. Part-time PhDs in Australia can take up to six
years, but this mode of study isn't normally available to
international students.

17. Comparison of Australian
and
Philippine Educational System

18. Australia’s tertiary educational system and the one in
the Philippines have similarities in terms of students’
admission, classification of qualifications and class
sessions.
The differences between the two tertiary education
systems are financial aid from the government,
subjects being taught, campuses and uniforms.

19. Both Australia and the Philippines have a
grading system to admit a student to
universities.

20. School types are very similar in both
private and public universities in both
countries.

21. Public universities in the Philippines are
divided into two groups:
(a) the state universities and colleges
(b) and the local colleges and universities
While in Australia, there are 39 public
universities on the other hand, is the only
national provider of both vocational courses
and skilled training programs so far.

22. Classifications of qualifications in the
Philippines are very similar to the ones
provided by the Australia’s tertiary
educational system.

23. Class sessions in the Philippines vary,
depending on subjects’ availability and
students’ flexibility.

24. The government funding has an enormous impact on
the tertiary education system in both countries.
Education is regarded as a very important aspect of
their life in Australia. That is why the government tries
to support its students with financial aid which means
that an applicant can study first and repay later. In
addition, AUSTUDY and Youth Allowances and some
other form of scholarships are offered in some
universities.

25. Whereas, in Philippine the government only
concentrates on the major state universities. The
University of the Philippines and other major
universities around Metro Manila stand a chance
to receive a colossal amount of funding.
Scholarships are only granted to brilliant
students.

26. Subjects taught in the Philippine universities
completely focus on mandated subjects, for instance
life and works of Dr. Jose Rizal (the national hero of
the country), three subjects of Filipino language,
basic math and science, and Filipino culture.
Whereas in Australia it is diverse, TAFE (Technical
and Further Education, for instance, focalizes its
courses on developing or enhancing students’ skills.

27. Some college campuses in the Philippines have three
educational levels namely primary, secondary and
tertiary. They are in one campus. While in Australia, it
is different as these three levels are put on separated
campuses. In terms of uniform, major catholic
universities in the Philippines are on compulsory
uniform policy. Australian tertiary colleges do not
oblige their students to wear uniform.