[English] www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

The Hon Julia Gillard MP
Minister for Education
Deputy Prime Minister

Delivering the Education Revolution

SPEECH: National Press Club Address  24 February 2010 Transcript (ed.)


Today I can announce that the draft curriculum in the first four 
subjects, maths, English, science and history, will be released next 
Monday March 1st.

It is world class, setting out not just the essential content for each 
year of learning but also the achievement standards against which 
students should be expected to perform.

This will not be a curriculum ‘guide’ or a supplement to what states and 
territories currently teach. It will be a comprehensive new curriculum, 
providing a platform for the highest quality teaching.

The drafts will be refined through an open national consultation process 
in the coming months. Everybody can contribute to the debate. Schools 
will try out the draft curriculum in practice.   

>From Monday, the Australian curriculum will be available through a fully 
interactive website that allows anyone to search the whole text for key 
topics and content. 

It is already prompting fierce debate and provoking great interest. I can 
tell you, I learned a few things myself when I read it.

It has been developed by experts, not politicians, but I have to say I am 
glad that grammar makes a strong appearance. For the first time ever, 
grammar will be set out explicitly at every year level from kindergarten 
through to year 12; the content, the ways in which it should be used, and 
the other areas of language and literature to which understanding of 
grammar can contribute.

I urge Australians to view this website at 

  <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au>

For too long, what is taught in schools has been a mystery to Australian 
parents and employers. From next Monday the first tranche of the 
Australian national curriculum will be there for all to see.

For too long, parents and employers have been anxious that students will 
leave school lacking the skills they need for life and work including 
proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics. As a nation we are about 
to move to a national curriculum of true rigour.

For too long, families have feared moving interstate because they know 
their child would not only have to confront a new school but a new 
curriculum. Next Monday is the beginning of the end of those days..

Ref: 
<http://www.deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Gillard/Media/Transcripts/Pages/Article
_100224_143429.aspx>

--

Cheers people
Stephen Loosley
Member, Victorian
Institute of Teaching