Editing Education in Australia (section)

== Regulation, operation, and funding ==
{{also|#School funding}}
The regulation, operation, and funding of education is the responsibility of the [[States and territories of Australia|states and territories]],<ref name="ACARA2017"/> because the Australian Government does not have a specific [[Section 51 of the Constitution of Australia|constitutional power]] to pass laws with concerning education.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s51.html|title=COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT – SECT 51 Legislative powers of the Parliament [see Notes 10 and 11]|website=austlii.edu.au|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411044012/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s51.html|archive-date=11 April 2009}}</ref> However, the federal government helps to fund non-government schools,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/aea2013210/s21.html|title=AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION ACT 2013 – SECT 21 Financial assistance for schools|website=austlii.edu.au|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131190538/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/aea2013210/s21.html|archive-date=31 January 2017}}</ref> helps to fund public universities, and subsidises tertiary education through [[Tertiary education fees in Australia|a national student loan scheme]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/hefa1988221/|title=HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING ACT 1988|website=austlii.edu.au|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324005521/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/hefa1988221/|archive-date=24 March 2017}}</ref> and regulates vocational education providers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/nveatra2011492/|title=NATIONAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING REGULATOR ACT 2011|website=austlii.edu.au|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319235130/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/nveatra2011492/|archive-date=19 March 2017}}</ref> 

Post-compulsory education is regulated within the [[Australian Qualifications Framework]], a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training, and the tertiary education sector.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://www.aqf.edu.au/|access-date=9 September 2024|website=Australian Qualifications Framework}}</ref>

The Australian Government's involvement in education has been the responsibility of several departments over the years,{{ref|a|[note a]}} with the [[Department of Education, Skills and Employment]] being formed in 2020.

The academic year in Australia varies among states and institutions; however, it generally runs from late January/early February until early/mid-December for primary and secondary schools and TAFE colleges,<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au/Default.aspx?tabid=1316|title=Term Dates|work=[[TAFE SA]]|publisher=Government of South Australia|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001071549/http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au/Default.aspx?tabid=1316|archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.swin.edu.au/studentoperations/calendar/useful-information.html#tafe|title=TAFE Term Dates|publisher=[[Swinburne University of Technology]]|access-date=16 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.tafensw.edu.au/students/calendar.htm|title=Student calendar|work=[[TAFE NSW]]|publisher=Government of New South Wales|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516072536/http://www.tafensw.edu.au/students/calendar.htm|archive-date=16 May 2008}}</ref> with slight variations in the inter-term holidays,<ref name=":2">For Western Australia, see:{{citation|url=http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/termdates/|title=School Term Dates|work=[[Department of Education (Western Australia)]]|publisher=Government of Western Australia|access-date=2 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414193850/http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/termDATES/|archive-date=14 April 2012}}
*For New South Wales:{{citation|url=http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/calendar/?do=setViewPeriod&categoryid=21&viewType=yearView|title=School Calendar|work=[[Department of Education and Training (New South Wales)]]|publisher=Government of New South Wales|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011041034/http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/calendar/?do=setViewPeriod&categoryid=21&viewType=yearView|archive-date=11 October 2009}}
*For South Australia:{{citation|url=http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/custserve/|title=South Australian State Schools Term Dates|work=[[Department of Education and Children's Services]]|publisher=Government of South Australia|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214133409/http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/custserve/|archive-date=14 February 2010}}
*For the Northern Territory:{{citation|url=http://www.det.nt.gov.au/students/at-school/term-dates|title=Term Dates|work=[[Minister for Education (Northern Territory)|Department of Education (Northern Territory)]]|publisher=Government of the Northern Territory|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730080814/http://www.det.nt.gov.au/students/at-school/term-dates|archive-date=30 July 2012}}
*For Victoria {{citation|url=http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/keydates/termdates.htm|title=Term Dates – Key Dates|work=[[Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (Victoria)]]|publisher=Victorian Government|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209113302/http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/keydates/termdates.htm|archive-date=9 February 2010}}
*For the ACT:{{citation|url=http://www.det.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/108521/Term_Dates_and_Public_Holidays_2010.pdf|title=Term Dates and Public Holidays|work=ACT Educational Directorate|publisher=[[Government of the Australian Capital Territory]]|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331033242/http://www.det.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/108521/Term_Dates_and_Public_Holidays_2010.pdf|archive-date=31 March 2010}}
*For Queensland:{{citation|url=http://education.qld.gov.au/public_media/calendar/holidays.html|title=State Schools Holidays and Qld Public Holidays|work=[[Department of Education, Training and Employment (Queensland)|Department of Education and Training (Queensland)]]|publisher=State of Queensland|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207231458/http://education.qld.gov.au/public_media/calendar/holidays.html|archive-date=7 February 2010}}
*For Tasmania{{citation|url=http://www.education.tas.gov.au/school/termdates|title=Term dates for Tasmanian Government school students|work=[[Department of Education (Tasmania)]]|publisher=Government of Tasmania|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221230445/http://www.education.tas.gov.au/school/termdates|archive-date=21 February 2010}}</ref> and from late February until mid-November for universities, with seasonal holidays and breaks for each educational institute.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/documents/universities/semester_dates/UA-Semester-Dates-2010.pdf|title=Summary of 2010 Principal Academic Dates for Australian Universities|publisher=Universities Australia|access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001090804/http://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/documents/universities/semester_dates/UA-Semester-Dates-2010.pdf|archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref>