Budget Review 2012–13 Index

Coral Dow and Marilyn Harrington

The 2012–13 Budget’s $54.0 million over four years for ‘Mathematics and science—increasing participation in schools and universities’ is the Government’s response to the Chief Scientist’s report, Mathematics, Engineering and Science in the National Interest. [1] This report is one of the latest of many produced over a number of years which highlight the poor state of mathematics and science education in Australia. [2]

The Chief Scientist argued for targeted initiatives that will translate into wider economic gains:

Mathematics, Engineering and Science (MES) are fundamental to shaping the future of Australia, and the future of the world ... Our future lies in creating a high technology, high productivity economy; to innovate and to compete at the high-end of provision. To do so, the technical skills and scientific awareness of the entire workforce must be raised. The number of MES graduates needs to increase to allow industry to expand in these areas. Yet our current performance is wanting, and we compare poorly to our leading Asian neighbours.[3]

The concerns about mathematics and science education in Australia have focused on declining school and university enrolments, the supply of qualified school teachers and Australia’s declining attainment relative to other countries. [4] At senior school level enrolments are declining accompanied by students increasingly opting for lower levels of study in mathematics and the ‘softer’ sciences.[5] These trends have continued despite a range of government programs targeted at overturning the declines.

The budget measure is an acknowledgement that mathematics and science education in the senior years of schooling and at the university level are linked and cross-sector initiatives are needed to redress the state of mathematics and science education in Australia. Towards this end, the major element of the measure ($20.0 million over four years) is directed towards university-led outreach projects to encourage school students to study mathematics and science. There are also other elements (with expenditure of $10.9 million) to raise the ‘engagement, curiosity and participation’ of school students.[6] Other initiatives focus on improving the quality of teacher training and providing support and training for teachers ($18.9 million). The remaining $4.3 million will provide for a National Mathematics and Science Education and Industry Adviser to ‘champion’ the role of mathematics and science.[7]

There are inconsistencies and mixed messages in recent government decisions on mathematics and science education. The budget measure reverses the Government’s decision last year not to extend its support for the Australian Academy of Science programs, ‘Primary connections: Linking Science with Literacy’ and the ‘Science by Doing’ projects. This decision was widely criticised by the science community and resulted in the Nobel Prize winner Brian Schmidt donating $100 000 of his prize money to sustain the Primary Connections program.[8]

Increased higher education student contributions for mathematics and science

The budget measure to increase the contribution rate for higher education students who study mathematics, statistics and science may be at odds with the measure to increase student participation. [9]

University applications and enrolment data indicate the demand for science subjects is strong, possibly due to the 2008–09 budget measure (a 2007 election commitment) which reduced the mathematics and science student contribution amounts to the lowest level in order to increase enrolments.[10] The reduction had an immediate effect on undergraduate applications for Natural and Physical Sciences which increased by 17.1 per cent from 2008 to 2009. [11] In 2012, of all university applications, Natural and Physical Sciences recorded the largest increase (10.9 per cent).[12] Reporting on 2010 increases, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) stated ‘the two years’ growth more than reversed the declines in demand for this field between 2004 and 2008.’[13] However, such improvements at the broad discipline level of Natural and Physical Sciences, may disguise trends within the various science subjects.

The Government’s rationale for the new budget measure, which increases student contribution rates, is that the lower contribution rates had not been ‘effective in substantially increasing the number of students undertaking maths and science at university’ and announced budget savings would be made by returning the student contribution amounts to the Band 2 level.[14] The increased contribution (from $4696 to $8361 per student) will apply to all continuing and new students from 2013, resulting in savings of $314.9 million over four years.[15]

The state of university science and mathematics enrolments is complex. Despite reported increases in applications and enrolments, a more detailed analysis of enrolment data commissioned by the Chief Scientist reports:

… higher proportions of students discontinue their study of enabling sciences after first year. In other words, students are less likely to complete majors in chemistry, mathematics and physics than they are in biology and other narrow disciplines within the Natural and Physical Sciences.[16]

Measures aimed at improving the numbers of university graduates in these enabling disciplines might be required if productivity and economic gains are to be achieved. Such initiatives are not obvious in this budget measure, which appears to be more directed at encouraging student engagement and participation generally, and improving teacher training and support.

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