Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the states and territories had backed our plan to improve student outcomes at today’s Education Council meeting in Alice Springs.
“No one was happy with Australia’s recent PISA results,” Mr Tehan said.
“Every state and territory education minister shared the Morrison Government’s determination to turn these results around and improve outcomes for every student.
“To improve student outcomes we need to focus on three things: teachers, the curriculum and evidence.
“I am pleased the states and territories agreed to back the Federal Government’s plans to deliver results by:
- Fast tracking a review of the entire Australian Curriculum with an initial focus on maths and science.
- Making the teaching of phonics and reading instruction mandatory for initial teacher education (ITE) courses and increasing the time allocated to literacy in ITE courses.
- Establishing the national evidence institute that will provide evidence and best-practice for teachers to improve student outcomes.
- Focussing on literacy and numeracy learning progressions.
- Conducting a review to reduce red tape affecting teachers and school leaders.
“The Morrison Government is delivering results for Australian students and delivering on the promises we made at the election to make teaching phonics compulsory in ITE and to review how to free teachers from red tape.
“Decluttering the curriculum was a priority for the Federal Government entering the meeting and I am thrilled that states and territories have agreed to bring forward the review so this work can begin immediately.
“The literacy and numeracy progressions will help teachers ensure that every student gets at least a year of learning from every year of school. Students who are falling behind will get a hand up and students who are ahead will be challenged to go further.
“Learning progressions will help teachers more efficiently identify student need, plan classes and provide meaningful feedback to parents.
“I also made it clear the Morrison Government does not support the breakaway review of NAPLAN led by NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland. We need to know how our students
and education systems are performing.
“Our Government supports NAPLAN because it provides transparency to parents, students and the community.
“All education ministers want to see improved student outcomes and I thank my state and territory colleagues for working co-operatively to deliver results.”
