Jason Clare seems to have a burning ambition to contribute to the enhancement and development of education’s offerings to Australian students. His enthusiasm is commendable and his acceptance of advice from Tanya Pliberseck (along with her willingness to offer that support) is commendable.

I hope that within the educational domain, Mr Clare is able to discern the wood from the trees. There has been far too much experimentation and allowance of teaching to be subjugated to the whims of researchers whose experimentation turns students into educational guinea pigs.

Good, sound holistic education, as declared essential in the preamble of the Melbourne Declaration on Education in 2008 needs to be revisited. The declaration stated education should take account of the academic, social, emotional and moral/spiritual needs of students. Sadly, that ambition now seems to have become lost in history.