At 87, Dr Geoffrey Swan will this week (July 23 at 10.30am) become QUT's oldest person to graduate when he dons mortar board and robes to accept his Master of Arts (Research) degree.
Geoffrey, a former teacher, who already holds a PhD and two Masters degrees - the most recent of which was acquired almost 20 years ago - used his passion for education history to secure his latest qualification.
Dr Swan's thesis is titled The Rise and Demise of the Inspector of Schools in Queensland, and takes a candid look at the influences that led to the removal of the school inspector role, a position he held for 14 years with much devotion.
He held the position of Inspector of Schools (Special Education), after starting his teaching in special education in 1953.
The first school inspector was appointed in Queensland in 1863 and abolished in 1989.
Love or loath them, he said school inspectors made a valuable contribution during their time, acting as the vital link between teachers and the Director-General, and the enforcer of guidelines and standards in schools.
"School inspectors had a really difficult job," Dr Swan said.
"In the very early days they had to travel between schools on horse or coach, and for longer journeys used the coastal shipping routes and railways, setting up camp when they arrived."
And it wasn't just the environment that was difficult to deal with, Dr Swan said.
"Teachers, many of whom were poorly trained and incompetent, were hostile towards inspectors whose role it was to correct any shortcoming," he said.
"But as time moved on and as teachers moved away from 'on the job' training to departmental-controlled teachers' colleges and eventually independent training in colleges and universities, they became more independent and confident in their task.
"Inspectors too, improved their education, being drawn from the teaching ranks.
"However, teachers never seemed to enjoy a friendly working relationship with inspectors, and with the establishment of the Queensland Teachers' Union, hostility increased."
Dr Swan said the ultimate downfall of the school inspector was the turbulent times between 1982 and 1989 when there was a noticeable change in the function and relationship between the Education Minister and the Director General, and an increasing politicisation of education.
Dr Swan, who lives in Ipswich, said with his latest Masters degree under his belt, he had no plans to slow down.
"Now that I have finished my latest Masters I am writing two more articles, one looking at my time at the Kelvin Grove Teachers College and another at how children in Queensland have learnt to read," he said.
"I have never wanted to stop and I don't have any plans to do that just yet."
Dr Swan graduates with a Master of Arts (Research). His Supervisor was Dr Keith Moore, School of Curriculum, Faculty of Education.
A full copy of Dr Swan's thesis is available here.
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