Investing in better-quality education outcomes - especially in maths and science - more than pays for itself.
Interpretation
Investing in high-quality education, particularly in math and science, yields benefits that exceed the initial costs.
The quote by Julia Gillard emphasizes the importance of investing in quality education, particularly in the subjects of math and science. It suggests that such investments are not merely expenses, but rather strategic decisions that lead to greater economic and social returns, benefiting individuals and society as a whole in the long run.
In practice
During a school board meeting discussing budget allocations.
As our economy faces up to potential labour shortages due to our ageing population and as it moves to a new level of sophistication to compete with the rest of the world, we're going to need every Australian on board pulling their weight, rejoining the workforce, gaining new skills. Writing off individuals and communities suffering from poverty just creates a dead weight for our economy to drag along.
If G20 leaders are serious about sustainable growth and job creation and want to stem migration flows and promote long-term stability, education is an essential investment.
We see community organizations as major service providers and economic drivers rather than as recipients or distributors of charity, and coordinators of volunteers. Today they constitute what's referred to as 'the social economy'.
As more girls get basic schooling, larger numbers will move up the educational ladder - some to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. That's important because workplaces around the world, especially in many developing and emerging-market countries, are becoming more automated, favouring workers with technical skills.
In fragile and conflict-affected states, education can insulate children from chaos and insecurity and better prepare them to bring about future stability.
If you believe, as I do, that merit is equally distributed between the sexes, then any result that isn't around half and half should be troubling.
Knowledge gained through experience is far superior and many times more useful than bookish knowledge.
Just what is it that academics have to fear if they stand up for common decency, instead of letting campus barbarians run amok?
Even if you do learn to speak correct English, whom are you going to speak it to?
There is so much we can learn from TV. It's a window on the world.
In the '70s and '80s there was an attempt in K-12 to teach science through art or art through science. The challenge today is how do you build the ethos of art and design into the academy of science.
Digressions incontestably are the sunshine; they are the life, the soul of reading.
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