Judgement skills lacking in a fatalistic education sector

Ben Jensen, Language skills vital in an Asia-led world

WE are failing to properly educate our children to succeed in a world led by Asian countries.

There is little doubt Australia's future economic prosperity depends on our ability to embed ourselves in Asia's continued economic growth. However ...

Only 300 students in Australia who are learning Chinese in their final year of secondary school do not have a Chinese background. Korea is our fourth-largest trading partner but Korean is taught in fewer than 50 schools across Australia. Not a single student in this country learning Korean in their final year of secondary school is from a non-Korean background...

Investing in our children's Asian literacy requires vision. It requires us to concentrate on what our children will need to succeed... Our focus has to be on what our children will need to prosper in these years...

Ben Jensen is director of the School Education Program at the Grattan Institute

So let's see what "vision and focus" the good director offers ...

Asia will take the lead and Australia will decline. Does this cause Jensen to question the wisdom of indiscriminate trade? Nope, decline is good and China will be peaceful, apparently.

Australia must now embed ourselves in Asia's economic growth. Does this shift from independence to dependence give Jensen cause for concern? Nope, dependence is better, apparently.

There is evidence that Anglo Australians are reluctant to learn Asian languages. Does this cause Jensen to question the feasibility of our newfound dependence on Asia? Nope, driving on past the warning signs is the only option, apparently.

That's right, our educated director apparently has scant values and critical thinking. All he can offer is "we must do more" like the typical ideologue who's frozen brain cannot think outside the mantra of "free trade is good always and everywhere, Amen, peace be upon David Ricardo and thanks be to comparative advantage".

Alas, if we continue along this free-trade sleepwalk, it's not language skills we will need. The only skill our children will need is prostration to our new Asian masters.

File under: conforming, fatalistic ideologue masquerading as freethinking enlightened individual gives a stirling example to the children of how to compartmentalise your brain and only ask the questions you are allowed to ask by the prevailing groupthink of the day; a good argument for homeschooling.