TAFE Student Survey
TAFE STUDENT SURVEY
The Hon. D. F. MOPPETT: Will the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, and Minister for Employment and Training confirm the existence of a statewide survey of student attitudes to TAFE courses? What is the nature of that survey and what were the main points found in the survey?
The Hon. VIRGINIA CHADWICK: There can be few issues of greater importance in the educational and training arena in Australia, let alone New South Wales, than trying to understand the perceptions of students, the broader community, and school students towards TAFE as opposed to the university sector. I can advise the honourable member that a number of studies have been conducted. The one to which the honourable
Page 7868
member refers related to the satisfaction of TAFE students in respect of facilities, equipment and courses and their understanding of where their courses will take them and what opportunities are opened up as a result of those courses. TAFE completed a survey that elicited responses to a questionnaire that was available to many TAFE students. I can advise the honourable member that the survey elicited responses from 30,000 students at more than 100 TAFE colleges in New South Wales. Given that most people - and I include myself - do not like filling in questionnaires, particularly when there are pages of questions to answer, I think it is incredible and very positive for TAFE that such a large number of responses were elicited. This provided a meaningful survey through which TAFE was able to provide a report that has some credibility.
In simple terms there is a high level of satisfaction among TAFE students about the nature of their courses, the support they get from their teachers and the relevance of their courses to their vocational aspirations or their present workplace needs. I believe that is commendable, given the enormous structural and curriculum changes that TAFE has undergone in recent years. Though I have not seen the full analysis to date, I am aware that a further survey has been conducted relating to the views of the broader community and, in particular, school students about TAFE. I suspect that the findings of that survey may not be as positive as those in respect of TAFE students themselves. As I say, I have not yet had the opportunity to look at the results of that survey. One thing is clear: those students who are in TAFE find their courses relevant and have a high level of satisfaction with them.