Department of Education
19 December 1972 – 11 March 1983
Renamed Department of Education and Youth Affairs in 1983.
Department of State responsible for Commonwealth involvement in education, including grants to schools, universities, colleges of advanced education and technical and further education through the statutory education commissions, student assistance, and Aboriginal and migrant education programs.
Names over time
- Department of Education1972–1983
- Department of Education and Youth Affairs1983–1984
- Department of Education1984–1987
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972, when the Whitlam government divided the Department of Education and Science; it took the education functions of that department, with Kim Beazley (senior) as Minister for Education.
- Schools and tertiary education
- Student assistance and scholarships
- Aboriginal secondary and study grants
- Education research and advice
Changes during its life
- Education on Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Wikipedia lists this department as the successor of the Department of the Special Minister of State for education on the two islands; not checked against the Administrative Arrangements Order.
- Administration of ACT government schools
How it ended
Became the Department of Education and Youth Affairs on 11 March 1983 under the incoming Hawke government, which also took youth affairs from the abolished Department of Employment and Youth Affairs.
- Schools
- Tertiary education
- Student assistance
- Aboriginal and migrant education
Main functions
- Commonwealth grants for government and non-government schools (Schools Commission)
- Funding of universities, colleges of advanced education and TAFE (through the Universities, Advanced Education, TAFE and later Tertiary Education commissions)
- Student assistance, including the Tertiary Education Assistance Scheme and Commonwealth scholarships
- Aboriginal education programs
- Migrant and multicultural education programs
- Education in the Commonwealth territories and the Commonwealth Teaching Service
- Overseas students and international education relations
Bodies in this portfolio (7)
- Australian Universities Commission 1959–1977
- Education Research and Development Committee 1970–1981
- Australian Commission on Advanced Education 1971–1977
- Curriculum Development Centre 1973–1981
- Schools Commission 1973–1981
- Technical and Further Education Commission 1975–1977
- Tertiary Education Commission 1977–1981
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972 (created it)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1983 (took effect as it ended)
1 more Administrative Arrangements Order sets it out
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 22 December 1975 (sets it out)