Abstract:
Australia in the 1990s is witnessing a marked shift in educational policy making and planning throughout the entire fabric of the education sector- from early childhood to tertiary. The quest to become the 'clever' country has been thrust upon all educators at a pace designed to be rapid and all embracing. Dawkins has suggested that there is 'no substitute for a full and thorough debate about the type of education system we want in this country...those debates, so long as they are informed, can go a long way to helping governments to decide upon and implement appropriate policies for Australia'. (Dawkins, 1991:1) This paper seeks to contribute to the debate by reviewing aspects of the quest for 'reform', considering some key terms and concludes with an analysis of trends in New South Wales.