EDB172 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: E.G. Time
Children’s Rights in Education
Overview:
• Rights to education
• Rights in and through education
• Issues in rights realisation in education
• Overcoming rights issues in education
Pre-adulthood:
• Thees a diffeee etee hilde people ad hildhood (theoretical framework)
• Different practices of child rearing in the past – what was/is acceptable now
• Dominant views of childhood in education – preparation for life (becoming), developmental
positioning
• Sociological positioning of childhood: recognised as a distinct and worthwhile stage in its own
right, where children are already considered being
o Emphasis on the here and now, as opposed to future positioning
• Childhood highly contextualised by societal factors; seen in contemporary concerns of adults
in relation to childhood experiences
• Universal experiences that remain the same, but each individual childhood is distinct
• Childhood is a temporary experience (for you) and permanent phenomenon (for society;
members changes but childhood doesn't disappear)
• You are only a child for the first 18 years of life – according to the UN
Childes ights:
• What are rights and what do they have to do with education?
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights – according to the UN
o Following WWII this document came into existence
o To prevent future atrocities from occurring
o Framework to guarantee the rights of everyone in different societies
o Declaration is like an umbrella – other documents are elaborations/further explanations
• In education, typically look at the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
o Outlines the rights of children
o Obligations of the different signatories
o Intended to initiate conversation between the different stakeholders
o 3 Ps: protection, provision and participation rights – principles not categories
▪ Can't look at rights in isolation, informed and are informed by one another
▪ Think clearly about different aspects of rights and how they might fit broadly
o Each right afforded to an individual is interrelated – at look at a ight i isolatio as they are
connected
o Ratified by Australia in 1990 – since then, we have agreed to incorporate this into national law
▪ Can read in detail about how Australia deals with these rights
Which of the following rights do children have?
• The right not to be smacked (Articles 19 &28)
• The right to choose whether to go to school (Article 28*)
• The right to not do homework (Article 31)
• The right to do homework in a different way than specified (Article 13)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• The right to go to the toilet (Article 24)
• The right not to wear a school uniform (Article 29* - due to cultural norms)
• The right to a good education (Articles 28 & 29* - General Comment no.1)
• The right to rest and play (Article 31)
• The right to meet with friends (Article 15)
Childes ights to eduatio:
• Provided for in:
o international law through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Article 26
o Convention on the Rights of the Children - Articles 28, 29 & 23
o Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities
• Article 28:
▪ Primary education should be compulsory and free (1)(a)
▪ Secondary education should be freely accessible and reflect and address a variety of needs
and interests (1)(b)-(d)
▪ Schools should promote regular attendance (1)(e)
▪ “hool disiplia easues should espet hildes digit ad eflet the general values of
the Convention (28)(2)
▪ The oeall ojetie of eduatio is to aiise the hilds ailit ad oppotuit to
patiipate full ad esposil i a fee soiet Coittee o the ‘ights of the Child,
▪ The provision of education is quite clear – internationally agreed upon
▪ How do we enable this to happen through contemporary practice?
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Article 24
Childes ights in and through education:
• Statistics:
o 3.8 million students enrolled in schools across Australia
o 9,400 Australian primary and secondary schools
o 70.5% or 6,634 are government schools
o 18.5% are catholic schools and 11% independent schools
o 2/3 of all students attend government schools (65.4%)
o 345,000 4 and 5 year olds are enrolled in a preschool program
o Meas potetial fo aiatios i hildes ights
• Provision:
o Austalia oitted to poidig Austalia hilde ith a ualit eduatio
▪ Free primary education for all
▪ Investing in education through funding/investment
▪ Focus on retention
▪ Education is primarily a state/territory responsibility
▪ To demonstrate their commitment – put in place review to achieve educational
excellence in Australian schools (Gonski 2.0)
▪ Inclusive education (article 29)
▪ All school-age children in Australia have a right to enrol in a safe and supportive
school
• Globally, we are at the bottom of several educational areas – e.g. pressure for homework,
etetio ates, hildes safet
o On the international stage we are not doing very well in these areas
o Highlights the discrepancy between what Australia is focusing on and what is currently
occurring
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Overview: rights to education, rights in and through education. Issues in rights realisation in education: overcoming rights issues in education. Pre-adulthood: the(cid:396)e(cid:859)s a diffe(cid:396)e(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:271)et(cid:449)ee(cid:374) (cid:272)hild(cid:396)e(cid:374) (cid:894)people(cid:895) a(cid:374)d (cid:272)hildhood (theoretical framework, different practices of child rearing in the past what was/is acceptable now, dominant views of childhood in education preparation for life (becoming), developmental positioning. In education, typically look at the convention on the rights of the child (1989: outlines the rights of children, obligations of the different signatories. Secondary education should be freely accessible and reflect and address a variety of needs and interests (1)(b)-(d) Focus on retention: education is primarily a state/territory responsibility, to demonstrate their commitment put in place review to achieve educational excellence in australian schools (gonski 2. 0) Safety and protection imperatives: national safe schools framework, based on overarching vision that all australian schools are safe, supportive and respectful teaching and learning communities that promote student wellbeing.
