Education Makes a Difference

Education and training are critical pathways into employment and social participation and a means of escaping poverty. Education is also critical to creating economic growth, generating higher standards of living and creating the basis of a socially cohesive society.

Education is absolutely crucial in terms of future employment. People with low levels of education are more likely to be unemployed and to be unemployed for longer. But a good education also leads to the development of personal strengths, personal skills and self-esteem, which develops resilience throughout the whole life course and cannot be underestimated in its importance.

During your life, you have no doubt heard this and comments similar many times – from your parents/caregivers and teachers. After 40 years (25 as a Secondary Principal) in education, I believe that the education of our youth has never been more important. Education is absolutely crucial in terms of future employment. People with low levels of education are more likely to be unemployed and to be unemployed for longer. But a good education also leads to the development of personal strengths, personal skills and self-esteem, which develops resilience throughout the whole life course and cannot be underestimated in its importance.

There is a very clear relationship between educational attainment and poverty. It goes both ways – people in poverty have lower attainment and lower attainment is linked to poverty in later life. Retention and participation (which is also closely linked to absence) in education is of high importance as well –

The statistics are jarring. Each morning some 4 million students should be going to school, yet for 1.4 million living in poverty, this experience looks and feels very different. The notion of learning to read and reading to learn is very much under threat with these statistics.

Altitude Scholarships is very aware of these ever increasing challenges facing our communities today. By providing scholarships to students, via generous donations from the broader community – it is possible to turn these students’ lives around and subsequently improve our society – one small step at a time.

This access to education, working closely and strategically with the caring staff at our schools, gives every student an optimum chance of success in their future.

Andrew Pierpoint

Retired Secondary Principal

Altitude Board Member

References

Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs – Chapter 7.