17 April 2013

Want to raise achievement? Extend paid parental leave

If the government is as serious as it says about raising student achievement extending paid parental leave should be a no-brainer, says PPTA president Angela Roberts.

Roberts, who presented PPTA’s submission on Sue Moroney’s bill to extend paid parental leave from 14 to 26 weeks today, said there was overwhelming international evidence that time spent early on in the life of a child had a positive educational impact.

“Teachers and principals have long recognised the health, early education and wellbeing of their students as being prime factors in their ability to learn and develop successfully through their secondary school years,” she said.

“Give me a student with good health and strong bonds with their parents and I will give you your five out of five.” she said.

A prime example of the success of paid parental leave is Finland, which has one of the best educational records in the world.

Finnish educational expert Pasi Sahlberg cited the world-leading support parents received from their healthcare system including 12 months fully paid parental leave, fantastic provision of early childhood education and healthcare and a strong focus on child well-being once schooling begin as the three main factors for Finland’s educational success, she said.

An Australian Government Productivity Commission report also provides considerable evidence of the benefits to both parents and babies of at least six months absence from work. “There is compelling evidence that six months exclusive parental care fosters improved developmental outcomes,” she said.

A 2011 report from the prime minister’s own chief science advisor Peter Gluckman agrees, going on to say that such benefits to the child flow through to the whole economy and society through fewer prisons and reduced costs on remedial education and healthcare.

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