Education partnership to benefit students, community and region
Education Partnerships Hub
Monash University has announced an innovative, whole-of-community project titled Education Partnerships Hub to help close the gap in Year 12 completion rates between city and country areas. Launched at the Gippsland campus by the Minister for Higher Education, the initiative aims to increase the number of students in Gippsland who progress to TAFE and university.
A joint project between Monash University and The Smith Family, the Education Partnerships Hub comes as a response to the disparity in higher education participation and attainment levels between large parts of Melbourne and regional Victoria. The project will be implemented on a pilot basis at Kurnai College in the Latrobe Valley from July 2011.
“Currently, just 26 per cent of Year 12 students in Gippsland progress to higher education compared to the Victorian average of 41 per cent, and closing this gap is a high priority not only for education providers in the region, but industry, government and the wider community,” said the Hon. Peter Hall, Minister for Higher Education and Skills.
“Making sure that young people have the skills, experience and qualifications required by employers is essential for the success and economic sustainability for regions such as Gippsland.”
Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University’s Gippsland campus, Professor Helen Bartlett, said the collaborations created by Education Partnerships Hub pilot were fundamental in addressing and overcoming barriers to higher education for students in the region.
“Helping students understand the value of education – and supporting them throughout their learning pathway – is the first step in improving higher education participation rates.
“By combining the collective expertise of Monash University, The Smith Family and Kurnai College with the Education Partnerships Hub pilot will highlight the value of education to individual students, and provide the support they need for secondary school success,” said Professor Bartlett.
The Education Partnerships Hub Brings together the many different community organisations and government agencies who work with secondary school students to increase the number of students who finish Year 12 and go on to TAFE, university study or full-time work.
General Manager of The Smith Family, Heather Le Roy, said that school-community partnerships help ensure young people are given every opportunity to reach their potential.
“The Education Partnerships Hub pilot will facilitate access to valuable local community assets – people and resources – that can help make learning relevant, enjoyable and purposeful for Kurnai College students and their families.”
Ms Le Roy said that the pilot would involve looking at new ways of engaging students outside the classroom, and providing real-life learning opportunities via internships and work placements, and out-of-hours learning through initiatives such as Learning Clubs and enhancement studies programs.
“We hope this pilot will result in long-term partnerships that change the learning and life outcomes for our young people,” said Ms Le Roy.
The Education Partnerships Hub will be initially implemented to support secondary school students (and the parents, teachers and other people who work with them) at Kurnai College’s campuses in Churchill and Morwell.