All state and territory education ministers, along with Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne, have agreed to refer the recommendations relating to overcrowding of the curriculum, parental engagement, accessibility for students with a disability and rebalancing the curriculum, outlined in the Federal Government’s initial response to the Review of the Australian Curriculum, to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for advice.
ACARA will report to the Education Ministers’ council at its first meeting in 2015.
“This agreement is an important first step in strengthening our curriculum and a victory for practical, common-sense reform,” Pyne said. “Australia’s curriculum authority will have a key role in implementing any possible changes agreed to by the council and over the summer months ACARA will consider the review and report back early next year.”
Pyne said a strong national curriculum is a foundation of the top performing education systems around the world.
“The curriculum should never be viewed as a static document, it is necessary to ensure it is the best it can be and the review of the curriculum makes many common-sense recommendations and was widely welcomed.
“I look forward to continuing the genuine open discussion with my state and territory colleagues about how to progress the recommendations of the curriculum review.”