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The apparent retention rate calculates the percentage of students remaining in secondary education from Year 7 to Year 12. In terms of making links between this indicator and sustainability imperatives, recent environmental, social and economic challenges demand from all members of communities a greater breadth of knowledge, and range of skills and abilities that allow them to see the links among economy, society and environment. This indicator is related to people's capacities to be engaged in the production of goods and services in ecologically sustainable ways (which demands education and training). It is also related to its citizens' abilities to cooperate in order to address sustainability problems.
Improving retention rates may indicate that more appropriate and diverse educational opportunities are being provided for the important task of improving the diverse range of skills and knowledge now needed to build a community's social, political and economic strengths. Apparent retention rates to Year 12 rose through the 1980s until 1992 when they peaked and since then they have oscillated around the 1991 level. Although Tasmania's retention rates began from a relatively low base, they have continued to rise even after the national rate peaked. Therefore, such a counter trend could also reflect higher teenage unemployment rates in the State and the consequent need to gain higher qualifications for entry into a very competitive job market. Related to this trend are apparent differences in the retention rates between males and females. Although differential rates are not available for Tasmania, the national statistics are indicative of relative gender differences in such rates. Year 12 retention rates, Australia, 1989-99 Year 12
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Males 55.5 58.3 66.1 72.5 71.9 69.6 66.7 65.9 66.2 65.9 66.4 Females 65.2 69.9 76.7 82.0 81.4 79.9 77.9 77.0 77.8 77.7 78.5 Difference 9.7 11.6 10.6 9.5 9.5 10.3 11.2 11.1 11.6 11.8 12.1 Source: ABS 2000b In 1986 the Australian year 12 retention rate for girls was six percentage points higher than that for boys (52% and 46% respectively). By 1996, the difference had widened, with the rate for girls 11 percentage points above that for boys, while in 1999 the difference had reached 12 points. However, such a difference can be misleading. For whatever reasons, boys are more likely to start an apprenticeship or commence studies at TAFE after year 10 than to continue on to senior secondary education. When boys' TAFE involvement is considered, the difference between their respective post-compulsory education participation rates is not as large as their year 12 retention rates would suggest. When the participation rates of young people aged 15-17 in school and TAFE are combined, participation by boys was 83% in 1996 compared with 86% for girls. The participation rate by both sexes has increased since 1986 (74% for boys and 71% for girls) (ABS 1998b). While post-compulsory education rates between males and females are roughly similar, it remains the case, as observed in the indicator relating to senior secondary school completions, that girls' higher rates of participation in full-time education at this level affords them with more diverse opportunities in the way of access to higher education and training and increases their capacity to take part in a democratic society in the context of its increasing complexity. When various qualitative changes are considered, such as improved access to education for disadvantaged groups, reductions in variations between different socio-economic groups and variations between schools in similar socio-economic catchments, the outcomes of earlier policy advances are mixed. While access to education has improved for girls and women, and their participation rates both in senior secondary and tertiary education now exceed those of males, there remain distinct disparities. Indigenous participation rates (49%) for 15-17 year olds still lag behind those of the general population (65%). The majority of non-government schools have higher retention rates than government schools (Tasmanian year book 2000, 122; see also Burke and Spaull 2001). As well, in recent years, changes to Federal education funding have seen improved funding for non-government schools without commensurate funding for government schools thus exacerbating the trend to increased non-government school enrolments and the decline of public education. The increased and accelerating retention rates achieved across Australia since the early 1980s are the direct result of deliberate changes in Federal Government policy that sought to significantly reduce the numbers of young people departing full-time education at the earliest possible leaving age. The Participation and equity program, introduced in 1983, aimed to:
Through the 1990s the effects of this policy change, aided by other government support initiatives included quite dramatic changes in retention rates (Cowie 1999). The Tasmanian rate has increased by 147.9% compared with an Australian average improvement of 110%. Apparent retention rates (%), Tasmania and Australia, 1980-00 Year Tasmania Australia 1980 26.9 34.5 1981 26.7 34.8 1982 21.9 36.3 1983 24.7 40.6 1984 27.6 45.0 1985 28.7 46.4 1986 30.3 48.7 1987 33.0 53.1 1988 37.6 57.6 1989 39.7 60.3 1990 44.7 64.0 1991 52.6 71.3 1992 60.2 77.1 1993 60.6 76.6 1994 58.3 74.6 1995 59.7 72.2 1996 53.1 71.3 1997 58.6 71.8 1998 62.1 71.6 1999 66.7 72.3 2000 na 72.3 Source: ABS 1998a, 1999a, 2000a |
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