It is election time here in Victoria with Steady Steve and Big Ted fighting out to see who will govern our state for the next four years.
On just about our favourite topic of all time — Education — it's heartbreaking to see the two main political parties treating the future of our children as a political football. Their philosophy seems totally dependent on whatever will win a few votes on Saturday: "many mourn the passing of technical schools, let's bring them back"; "selective schools have popular appeal, we'll have more of them".
Imagine a minister for education who spent all their energy on, and instilled in every member of their department, one single-minded goal devoid of ideology: improving the quality of education for every child in the state. Forget polls. Forget federal-state fiefdoms. Forget short-term political appeal. Just ensure that every teacher and every school administrator does whatever it takes and uses every ounce of imagination and creativity to give every child their right.
For one brief foolish moment, I had hoped that Ted Baillieu might, just might, be the leader to bring such passion to education. How deluded I was.
