The future of schools

Schools could also receive a broader social welfare role, for example, there could be a Centrelink office on the campus. Schools now usually finish in the mid-afternoon and the students may not have good homes to go back to. The schools could stay open for longer, with a range other staff taking over, some of whom could, for example, mentor the students.

Finally, there is the "Cyber School" scenario in which the bricks and mortar are sold off and the children are educated in "electronic cottages" (that is, at home). This would mean that all homes would need proper IT facilities, broadband, skype etc. The teachers – "subject matter experts" - could be based anywhere in the world, for example, an Australian student could learn French from a teacher based in France.

The computer for each student could provide a more detailed record of academic progress than any current report. It would store the results of all tests attempted and what competencies have been acquired, and how long it took the student to acquire them. The computer would also store the student's continuous history of being diligent at doing their studies. All this information could be made available to potential employers to get a far more accurate picture of how well a student did than just the results of sitting an examination.

To conclude, society is undergoing massive changes and schools cannot remain above that change. Therefore, there is a need to think more broadly about how schools could be cope with the new era.