30 OCTOBER 2023: Teach plate-to-paddock, highlight the science of agriculture, introduce students to the variety of off-farm jobs and focus on teacher training… those were some of the transformational ideas aired in today’s ABC Landline.
Interviewed for the program, our CEO Anthony Lee offered his perspective on the need for Australia to deliver world’s-best teaching for agricultural education.
“I heard things like … ‘You’re part of the problem’, or, ‘The beef industry is really bad and we shouldn’t be eating meat’,” he said.
“Why would a teacher want to teach it, why would a kid want to come into the industry, if they’re hearing bad things?”
His call for action has led to a working group bringing together industries, research and development corporations and educators, which is now developing a national strategy to address the issue.
“It’s not about Victoria or New South [Wales], it’s not about cotton or beef. It’s about agriculture in Australia,” he said.
“We need a coordinated plan and … a coordinated effort about how we get to all schools right around Australia.”
The first phase, which has just started, is to find the best agricultural education programs.
“This is the bit where we understand all the failings, all the good things, what’s working well domestically and internationally … really spend time to understand what great looks like,” Mr Lee said.
See the episode here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-29/teachers-rethink-agricultural-education-farm-jobs-future/103025856
