All Australians should have the right to quality education; however, too many young people are disengaging from school and missing out on vital education opportunities.

We look across the education sector from early childhood to primary and secondary school, and the transition to higher education and vocational training. We are asking how well education systems are working and for whom, to determine what needs to change to ensure all Australians have access to quality education from early childhood to tertiary studies.

Key contacts

Hannah Matthews
Policy Fellow
Report

Educational Opportunity 2020: landmark study reveals entrenched educational inequality

28 October 2020

Australia’s education system is failing up to one in three children and young people, according to the first major study to assess progress against our current national education goals.

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Opinion

The education system is failing those who need it most

28 October 2020

The Australian: Now, more than ever, young Australians need education in order to thrive in a complex and uncertain world. But new evidence shows our education system is not up to the task.

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Opinion

One quarter of Australian 11-12 year olds don’t have the literacy and numeracy skills they need

28 October 2020

The Conversation: Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, very remote areas, and Indigenous Australians are up to two times more likely to start school developmentally vulnerable than the national average.

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News

Landmark study reveals entrenched educational inequality

28 October 2020

Australia’s education system is failing up to one in three children and young people, according to the first major study to assess progress against our current national education goals.

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Opinion

What makes a school good? It’s about more than just test results

4 April 2019

One of the more elusive goals of education research is answering the question: what makes one school perform better than another?

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Report

Capabilities at 16-18 years

22 October 2018

Teenagers from 16-18 years old can consider long term possibilities of their own and others' actions and form their own ethical viewpoints.

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Youth Activating Youth (YAY) inspires Mitchell Institute
News

Youth Activating Youth (YAY) inspires Mitchell Institute

17 September 2018

Youth Activating Youth (YAY) CEO Ali Ahmed and Co-founder and Director Ahmed Hassan visited Mitchell Institute to share insights about the important work YAY is delivering in Victorian communities.

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Opinion

Reforms needed to better engage school students

17 July 2017

Counting the costs of lost opportunity in Australian education finds that for the 2014 group of 24- year-olds who weren’t earning or learning and remain that way for much of their adult lives.

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Opinion

Leaving school early means you’re likely never to return to study & training in adult life

15 June 2017

One in eight Australians will never get Year 12 qualifications. Some make up the one in eight Australians who will be disengaged from full-time work, study or training for most of their lives.

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