What is the point of school in the 'earn or learn' era?

The curriculum then, through its value to their ATAR, is the very tool through which students are 'streamed' into their 'appropriate' further education pathway. At the same time it clearly serves the interests of those destined for university and not those 'streamed' into other pathways. How is this fair and just? Reinforcing this the proposed reforms and the 'opening up of opportunity' through preparatory college courses, diplomas and so forth may in fact further work against the interests of the less well off it is supposed to be helping.

Assuming schooling and curriculum remains unchanged, students from more advantaged backgrounds will continue to dominate direct entry university after school and to the elite institutions. Students who have traditionally been underrepresented at university will have the expanded preparatory college diploma pathway, but in the case of preparatory college courses this adds six months to a year to a degree and may now attract a new and higher fee. Opportunity it seems comes at a higher cost in terms of debt and time in study. That this is linked to subjects studied in high school raises the question of the appropriateness of the high school curriculum.

Spending extra time in study and building up a greater comparable debt works directly against what we know about the life of students from these sections of the community. Often the necessity to work to help the family or the perspective that one needs to be productive outweighs the allure of possible gain after study. Oddly it's at odds with the very message we hear from government – contribute - and consumer culture - earn and consume.

Furthermore, where are kids from rural areas going to study? Students from rural areas are already underrepresented due to the increased costs they face and the cultural challenges of physically leaving their communities. They often also have less access to the subjects that make a difference in their schools.

Where to from here?

If ongoing education is the new norm we need to look at just what the purpose of school education is? If it is to prepare students for university then it is serving the interests of a few at the expense of the many. Furthermore it is giving them a leg up in both status and time while saving them money.

If we are really about enhancing opportunity perhaps it is time to step back and look at the operation of the entire system rather than tinker with bits.