• Best of luck to the class of 2024 for their HSC exams. You got this!
    Let us know your thoughts on the HSC exams here
  • YOU can help the next generation of students in the community!
    Share your trial papers and notes on our Notes & Resources page
MedVision ad

Should Maths be Compulsory? (1 Viewer)

Should Maths be Compulsory?

  • yes

    Votes: 109 57.7%
  • no

    Votes: 80 42.3%

  • Total voters
    189

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
melanieeeee. said:
everyone has a right to an education.
yeah, thats why we have compulsory education up to year 10.

There is too much emphasis on compelting year 12, particularly for "low end" blue collar jobs. An extra 2 years of education is un-necessary and essentially 2 years of on-the-job training would be far more effective.

PS - 1400th post :D
 
Last edited:

melanieeeee.

Banned
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
812
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
Evilo said:
yeah, thats why we have compulsory education up to year 10.

There is too much emphasis on compelting year 12, particularly for "low end" blue collar jobs. An extra 2 years of education is un-necessary and essentially 2 years of on-the-job training would be far more effective.
i agree but i believe it's their decision to make. they shouldn't be pressured to do otherwise. some students just dont feel ready to go out into the workforce particularly at such a young age.

PS - 1400th post :D
congrats. :)
 

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
melanieeeee. said:
i agree but i believe it's their decision to make. they shouldn't be pressured to do otherwise. some students just dont feel ready to go out into the workforce particularly at such a young age.
I only partly agree, if you're not forced to go into years 11-12 (but you want to go) then you're probably more likely to succeed. However, if you're going into years 11-12 because your mates are, or you dont like the idea of working then its probably not really going to be an incentive to do well.

As far as maturity for the workforce goes, most of the time it gives the student a lot of maturity by entering the workforce. From just 3 months of working full time at a low end liquor store job, i'd decided that i never want to work here again, and i want to complete uni with a real degree. sometimes harsh reality can be that kick up the butt. :)


Thanks for the congrats too :)
 

melanieeeee.

Banned
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
812
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
Evilo said:
I only partly agree, if you're not forced to go into years 11-12 (but you want to go) then you're probably more likely to succeed. However, if you're going into years 11-12 because your mates are, or you dont like the idea of working then its probably not really going to be an incentive to do well.
but they are still entitled to an education whether or not they do well.

As far as maturity for the workforce goes, most of the time it gives the student a lot of maturity by entering the workforce. From just 3 months of working full time at a low end liquor store job, i'd decided that i never want to work here again, and i want to complete uni with a real degree. sometimes harsh reality can be that kick up the butt. :)
i dont see the point to that. you say that it gives them maturity to choose to go back to study? why dont they just continue study if that is the aim of bringing them into the workforce - if that makes sense.
 

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
melanieeeee. said:
but they are still entitled to an education whether or not they do well.
yeah, they get an education up to the point of SC. If they're not smart, and have no intention to learn - why should they be at school?

melanieeeee. said:
i dont see the point to that. you say that it gives them maturity to choose to go back to study? why dont they just continue study if that is the aim of bringing them into the workforce - if that makes sense.
Most people take for granted what they have, when they realise low end jobs are shit, they're very keen to go back to study. Hence why it is very easy to get into uni as a mature aged student. And "mature" is defined as 23?
 

melanieeeee.

Banned
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
812
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
Evilo said:
yeah, they get an education up to the point of SC. If they're not smart, and have no intention to learn - why should they be at school?
because they have a right to an education that should be right until year 12. according to the bos the aim of the hsc is to:

provide a curriculum structure which encourages students to complete secondary education;
and also it is better than having kids just stay at home and not contribute to society and increased unemployment.


Most people take for granted what they have, when they realise low end jobs are shit, they're very keen to go back to study. Hence why it is very easy to get into uni as a mature aged student. And "mature" is defined as 23?
yeah i agree but again i dont think a student should leave just cause they get bad marks. what if the bad marks are not a result of laziness?
 
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
107
Gender
Male
HSC
2008
I think any subject should be compulsory if a minimum of BAND 3 wasn't achieved in the School Certificate. But if you get band 3 english and hate it then at least you understand it at a mediocre level and should be allowed to drop it. (same with maths, geo etc)
 

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
melanieeeee. said:
and also it is better than having kids just stay at home and not contribute to society and increased unemployment.
yeah 11 & 12 is optional and isnt a form of childcare.

If my [hypothetical] kids said they didn't want to go to school in year 11 & 12, they would be out earning money with a job, and they would be charged rent. Or they would be at tafe getting a workplace skill based on an interest of theirs.

melanieeeee. said:
yeah i agree but again i dont think a student should leave just cause they get bad marks. what if the bad marks are not a result of laziness?
If they are genuinely dumb, then will they be going to university? (yes i am aware learning difficulties are a whole different story). Alot of them will not be going to university, nor will they get a extremly high paid job. So if year 11& 12 education is not necessary for their careers/jobs, then why should they even be doing it?

EDIT - if it is necessary for their career, then they either need to buck up their ideas and strive for the win (by recognising the learning issues that are challenging them). Or pull out, spend some time in a job, then come back when they are mature enough to complete the exams. They way i see it - if you're not studying, you're working, and if you're not working, you're studying. If you're neither, then you've retired.
 
Last edited:

GreenLeaf

consultant
Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
79
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
No, I believe up to Year 10 maths is sufficient for everyday life.

Don't get me wrong, I love maths but nothing I learnt in Senior Maths is going to be particularly helpful in life. That is, I don't need to know sine theta in order to do my taxes. And differentiating 'x' is not going to pay the bills.
 

bored of sc

Active Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
2,314
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
No, if you put yourselves in the shoes of those who despise the subject you understand that for some it is absolute hell. English should be compulsory (as it is) because to survive in today's world, communication is the key.

Sure maths has its major benefits of logically thinking, abstract thought, problem solving ability, but it is english that enables us to speak, listen, write, read, reflect, interpret, represent and respond effectively to the world around us. It is english that makes us social, makes us a human being beyond a walking organism --> it allows us to understand the world through our five senses and teaches us freedom of thought, difference of opinion, the manner in which we should establish and develop our ideas and most of all --> english gives the human mind a greater capacity to go beyond the logically, beyond the finite and beyond all the common sensical and THINK FOR OURSELVES with endless possibly. English may seem worse because of workload, marks and teachers but when it comes down to it --> when we are laying in our deathbed with an hour to live it is the greater intellectual capacities aided by the study of the english language and literary form that don't make us a thoughtless, antihumanist blob of skin, flesh and bone. It enables a greater understanding of life as we know it; in the struggle for meaning and understanding of everything we constitute as 'this life' we need all the help we can get.
 
Last edited:

melanieeeee.

Banned
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
812
Gender
Female
HSC
2008
Evilo said:
yeah 11 & 12 is optional and isnt a form of childcare.
it isn't. its a place for everyone to learn.

If my [hypothetical] kids said they didn't want to go to school in year 11 & 12, they would be out earning money with a job, and they would be charged rent. Or they would be at tafe getting a workplace skill based on an interest of theirs.

If they are genuinely dumb, then will they be going to university? (yes i am aware learning difficulties are a whole different story). Alot of them will not be going to university, nor will they get a extremly high paid job. So if year 11& 12 education is not necessary for their careers/jobs, then why should they even be doing it?

EDIT - if it is necessary for their career, then they either need to buck up their ideas and strive for the win (by recognising the learning issues that are challenging them). Or pull out, spend some time in a job, then come back when they are mature enough to complete the exams. They way i see it - if you're not studying, you're working, and if you're not working, you're studying. If you're neither, then you've retired.
have you ever heard of getting an education for the sake of being educated?
also some tafe courses require year 12 qualification.
 

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
melanieeeee. said:
it isn't. its a place for everyone to learn.
website said:
School is compulsory, by law, between the ages of 5 and 16, ie from Years 1-10 (inclusive).
Pre-school, Kindergarten and the final two years of High School (Years 11-12) are optional.
http://www.bubhub.com.au/infoeducationnsw.php

just like i said, year 11&12 is not compulsory, its not a childcare service either.
If your not learning, you should be working.

melanieeeee. said:
have you ever heard of getting an education for the sake of being educated?
If you're getting an education "for the sake of being educated", then you do a "hobbie" diploma corse at a syd uni when you're 45 (usually reserved for bored housewives to take up decorating diplomas like "colour consulting", fashion design, and interior design etc. so they can re-design their mcMansions through their husbands bottomless money pocket.).

Otherwise education should have a purpose - i.e. you do hsc so you can go to uni, you do uni so you can learn a skill you are interested in so you can get a high paying job. you get a high paying job so you can get money, you get money so you can buy shit and feel happy.

melanieeeee. said:
also some tafe courses require year 12 qualification.
I already covered this.
EDIT - if it is necessary for their career, then they either need to buck up their ideas and strive for the win
fOR3V3RPINKKKK said:
Yeah talk about stereotypes.
*generalisations

fOR3V3RPINKKKK said:
<snip (shit)> just because they dont choose to go to university doesn't mean that they may not get high paying jobs. These days some trade careers pay more than some professions.
true, but generally jobs that require a tertiary education are higher paid (yes i am aware there are exceptions to the rule)

Graduates can earn twice salaries of non-graduates
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=110065&sectioncode=26

I've heard that 'each year of education can add 10% onto a salary package'.

[I'll record the show. <3 hd tv recorder.]
 
Last edited:

Evilo

Active Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
1,617
Location
NA
Gender
Male
HSC
2006
fOR3V3RPINKKKK said:
Ya way to get a source from the UK and was written in 1998, that is really relevant to the Australian Workforce. :rolleyes: Anyway ya I get that students generally students that have tertiary education get higher salaries but yeah my main point was that not all students that don't do well at school get low earning incomes - thats pretty much it...
fair enough, there's always going to be 'excepts to the rule' but like i said we have to just generalise.
 

11kloseboy

Member
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
80
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
N/A
Maths should be definitely be compulsory its the most important subject in the world practically every job in the world requires maths. English is compulsory and mainly we just use it to communicate in English speaking countries. While maths can be used in the world anywhere in the world.
 

Rusty12

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
1
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
I reckon that making maths compulsory would actually make the UAI more accurate as it would better reflect a students allround ability over a number of subject areas. Currently, students who are weak in maths can simply avoid it. While someone may struggle with english, but they are forced to battle on, sometimes to the verge of almost failing. Make no mistake, it does impact on their UAI. I believe basic literacy is desirable, but so is basic numeracy. I believe mathematics at a very basic level should be compulsory study to make the education system fairer
 

spence

Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
1,640
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
11kloseboy said:
Maths should be definitely be compulsory its the most important subject in the world practically every job in the world requires maths.
As if most jobs require maths. Sure they may require simple arithmetic, but not the crap you learn in the HSC.
 

itadakimus

procrastinator
Joined
Mar 15, 2007
Messages
98
Location
NSW
Gender
Female
HSC
2009
It's amazing how poor some people's maths skills are. I'm talking about simple checkout addition. Compulsory maths sounds like a good idea.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top