Union survey confirms Edu Revolution damp squib

The Australian Education Union has today belled the cat on the Government's failed Education Revolution, according to Shadow Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

"77% of Union respondents agreed with a proposition that there is no Education Revolution taking place. This is a major embarrassment for the Government, and it confirms what the Opposition has been saying all along," Mr Pyne said.

"Even more embarrassing for the Government is news that their flagship election commitment - Computers in Schools - is seen as a priority for only 1% of public school parents," he said.

We have seen educators question the education value of this program, and now we have evidence that parents see little value in this program. Yet all the time its costs spiral out of control - $1 billion at election time, $1.2 billion at Budget time, $2 billion at COAG - and barely a computer is yet to hit a school desk.

The answer to every question need not be to just throw money at it - the Government should also be looking at reforms such as performance pay and improved career progression for teachers, and increasing local autonomy for school principals and governing councils.

We need to build the status of teachers as befits their position as the stewards of our children's future and our nation's future productivity. And we need to offer a competitive career path for our best and brightest considering what field of study to pursue at University.

"Julia Gillard's inflated rhetoric is yet to produce any results for Australian students. It is time for the Prime Minister to appoint a full time Education Minister who can deliver real reforms," Mr Pyne said.