Education and learning has evolved dramatically. Thirty years ago educational institutions confined female students to an archaic system of feminine roles such as cooking and sewing. Any move to further expand the female mind would be hindered at every turn. The mind set that women were of no beneficial use to the general population and work force other than procreating, has, over time somewhat depleted. But not completely.
Reduction in population growth across the globe has Governments scrambling to offer incentives to families to reproduce. This urgency for rising birth rates can be attributed to the depletion of military personnel. Governments urge women to procreate regardless of economic and financial situations. An article on the website of BBC World News (Tuesday, 19 June, 2001) states that “The Sri Lankan Government is urging people to have larger families, to swell the ranks of the army and the clergy.
Australia has a different agenda. With an aging Australian population and a lower birth rate, within twenty years, Australia will not have a sustainable work force. Educating young Australians is important and will play a dramatic role in sustaining Australia's economy.
The Australian newspaper, The Age (Compiled by Ben Haywood The Age Monday May 24, 2004,) presents the following article. “Bid for more babies.” The article goes on to state, “Over the past 100 years, birth rates and death rates in Australia have decreased dramatically. Australians are having fewer children, and more people are living longer. This has caused an “aging'' of the population, which the bureau predicts will continue.”
Due to the incentives given by governments around the world we could be looking at a population explosion. Natural resources have already begun to dissipate. Items such as water, oil and food will eventually disappear. What then do we do to accommodate the rising population? Do the governments have a plan? Given the current climate, it is estimated that over the next twenty years, the Earths resources will almost be depleted.
The ABC Science website contains the following article, “Can Australia save the world?” by Julian Cribb states: World consumption of water is rising twice as fast as population. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington says water is already looming as a major cause of future wars.
The India Times article, “Rising population splits opinions.” states that, “the burgeoning population is a "vast human resource" which can be used for development and the government should launch population control programs only after giving deep thought to the repercussions they might have.
The Australian parliament Library website on “Population Futures for Australia: the Policy Alternatives” contains several subheadings, three of which are: A pathway to a smaller population, A pathway to a larger population and a population policy for Australia. All three articles propose immigration as a sustainable way of population growth.
It appears that while governments are promoting and indeed giving incentives to reproduce to repopulate their work force or refill the ranks of depleting armed forces, the world resources cannot sustain such a growth in world population.
During this time of urgency governments have begun to move disabled persons into the work force, and offers incentives to move the disabled into educational systems. This move has allowed those, once written off, to become once again productive citizens. With technological advances people now have their own computers. Software such as speech recognition, can and does allow any person, no matter their financial, economic, physical and mental circumstances, the ability to learn.
N.C.P.E.D.P. (National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People) published the following article. “Meet on incentives for corporates to employ disabled people.” The article goes on to state, “N.C.P.E.D.P. initiates a series of meetings to frame a 'Draft Incentives Policy to promote employment opportunities for disabled people in corporate sector in India'. At the latest meeting on August 11, 2004, delegates agreed that the next move should be to mobilise disability organisations throughout India.”
The Australian Apprenticeships website contains the following: “Assistance to people with disabilities provides additional assistance to eligible employers who recruit an Australian Apprentice with a disability. Assistance for employers of Australian Apprentices with a disability includes: Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support and; Assistance for Tutorial, Interpreter and Mentor Services for disabled Apprentices.”
The move to integrate people with disabilities into the main stream of society opens a whole new world to the once “forgotten” people. Moves have been made to promote the accessibility for wheel chairs. Software has been created to improve the lives of the blind, the deaf and the mentally and physically impaired. Education is a mouse click away for any one who chooses to take up the challenge of enriching their own lives.
The changes manufactured to bring a disabled individual back into the workforce or an education facility, should also be extended to the long term unemployed, and in some cases it is. People are creatures of habit and making moves to change a situation or to simply better the self can be quite intimidating. Governments are offering change to anyone ready to accept it. Programs are in place to help with transitions. A university education once was an unobtainable career move. Now, with government agencies implimenting rebates and transitional programs, more people are enrolling in university courses.
A Statistical Profile from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 1994, Australia's Long-Term Unemployed, Catalogue No. 6255.0.)“Measuring Long Term Unemployment in Australia”
The long term unemployed are described in terms of their demographic and other characteristics. These characteristics include: age and sex, geographic location, birth place and period of arrival, educational attainment, family structure and industry and occupation.
Australia is a vast island with many towns located in remote area's. Location, once a hindrance to those seeking to further their education, is not any more. With the introduction of satellite Internet and the government rebate for the equipment, it is possible for anyone to return to an educational facility of their choice. The costs involved are minimal as the government also helps with university fee's. We are indeed a lucky country.
Philosophy 
