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INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIAN CULTURE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA: EDUCATION SYSTEM IN UNIVERSITY

GROUP 8: HIFFZAH ROUDHOH INDAH JUWITA S. MIA OKTAFIANA TIA AIZIR RAHMI

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES ANDALAS UNIVERSITY PADANG 2012

INTRODUCTION
Australia has a good worldwide reputation for academic excellence, offering internationally recognised qualifications with immediate employment and career development opportunities. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) currently ranks Australia's education as the eighth best in the world and, according to UNESCO figures, Australia has one of the highest ratios of enrolment in primary and secondary education in the world. This fact attracts students around the world to take education in Australia. Australia achievement as prestigious and promising destination for study is the result of good education system. Their education system can be compared to education system in England and America. In this paper we will discuss more about general education system that used in Australia, especially for undergraduate degree universities.

CONTENTS
Educational System in Australia: General Overview
The educational system in Australia follows a three tier model that includes primary education (primary schools), secondary education (secondary schools / high schools) and tertiary education (universities and / or Vocational Education and Training). Primary education: includes kindergarten and pre-school/prep. For the grade 1-7 the children are on age 3 to 13.The purpose is to provide the general education for the students and gets them ready for a role in society and for the next level of education.

Secondary education: include junior high school and high school diploma for grade 7 - 12 the children are on age 12 to 17. Grades 8 - 10 are mandatory, Grades 11 - 12 are intended to prepare students for tertiary education.

Student can choose what to study depending on the career in which they intend to follow. Tertiary education Divided into two: VET (Vocational Education and Training) VET is education training that focuses on providing skills for work. Qualifications gained through the VET sector lead to a variety of diverse and exciting careers. University It is also known as higher education for students who had finished twelve years of study in primary and secondary school.

Schools can be classified according to sources of funding and administrative system. There are three categories in Australia: Public school / State School / Government School: Run by their respective state or territory government. They technically offer free education.

Catholic Schools: The Catholic school system receives substantial funding from the federal government as Catholic schools are considered to be a vital education system outside the public sector

Private School / Independent School: Private schools also receive government funding Public schools in Australia are secular, although they may offer optional religious

education. Private schools usually have religious affiliations. Overall, around 64% of children in Australia attend public schools and 34% attend Private School or Catholic schools.

Regardless of your choice of school, all are regulated by the same high standard curriculum framework. Both of primary and secondary educations usually have the same system because it is regulated by government. Some states or territories make adjustment, but not significant. These are the common system in school: The school years run from late January or early February, holiday consists of 2 holiday, short holiday between term and summer holiday in December - January. The class starts at 9 AM until 3.30 PM, 5 days a week. Mostly all of the school wear a uniform. Children mainly bring their own recess and lunch meals to school, while schools also offer a canteen with moderately priced food and drinks available. Curriculum that used in Australia is national curriculum that has agreed which is regulated by Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

University in Australia
University are self-accrediting institutions and each university has its own establishment legislation (generally state and territory legislation) and receive the vast majority of their public funding from the Australian government. In Australia, there are 39 public universities and two privates universities.

University levels in Australia Undergraduate Student must have completed twelve years of elementary and secondary education and submit them to university at the time of admission. One can either enrol for two-year associate degree like Associate of Science (A.S.) or a four-year degree like Bachelor of Science (B.S). Achieving a Bachelors degree takes 3 to 4 years. Graduate

To complete a master degree it takes 1 to 2 years. The master degree follows after the bachelors degree. It deals with a more advanced subject than a bachelors degree and either includes research, coursework, or mixture of the two. PhD program The doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) can be taken after Honours Bachelors or Master Degree. Along with a research project that result in a thesis or dissertation. There is a collocation of top universities in Australia called as the Group of Eight (Go8). They include:

Australian National University, Canberra University of Melbourne University of Queensland, Brisbane University of New South Wales (UNSW) University of Sydney Monash University, Melbourne University of Western Australia, Perth University of Adelaide, Adelaide

Education System in University (undergraduate)


The main qualifications awarded by universities in Australia are Undergraduate. Which have to accomplish some tests regarding subject taken. And than Have the Higher School Certificate (HSC) and also should have the tertiary admissions test (STAT) for international students and English score. The regulation for the study system is a year has 2 semesters (autumn and spring). Which are the routine activities for 1st until 9th weeks are used for study weeks, than for 10th until 11th weeks are use for mid-semester weeks, and in 12th weeks is used for revision weeks, for final examination conducted in 13th until 14th.

University in Australia also has some credit points. Such one subject worth has 6 credits point with estimation 1 subject takes up to 12 hours study. For one semester, students usually take 4 subjects with 24 credit points. Usually to finish Bachelor degree its takes three years and four years for honours.

CONCLUSION
Australia is a country that uses three-tier model of education which consists of primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. It is mandatory for Australians to finish their study at least until 10 th grade before they decide to work or continue study to higher education. Universities in Australia have small differences in education system compare to schools. They have more authority to make their own rules and system. But generally they are same even though there is some adjustment from each states and territories. From 39 universities from all over Australia, there are eight top universities that formed a group called Go8 (Group of Eight). Other universities see them as references to make a better system in their own university.

REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Australia http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/en/Courses/Universities http://studyadvisor.com/system/education-system-australia http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/settle-in-australia/everyday-life/education/whatis.htm

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