Editorial: NAPLAN data reveals concerning trend for Qld schools

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek’s renewed enthusiasm for improving NAPLAN results is welcome, writes the editor.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek

It’s clear Queensland’s education system is in urgent need of resuscitation as NAPLAN results continue to flatline.

That’s why it is encouraging that Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek has recommitted to improving the results after bizarrely declaring earlier this year he would not make any guarantees.

It was in stark contrast to his pledge in 2014, as Education Minister in Campbell Newman’s government, that he would strive to make Queensland one of the top performing states by 2020.

He never got to achieve that goal as Labor took power in 2015.

Mr Langbroek now has his chance, but it is fair to say he has a mountain to climb.

New data revealed today shows Queensland primary schools are falling behind in almost every NAPLAN metric, making us one of the worst performing states.

Queensland’s year 3 cohort ranked the second worst in the country for numeracy behind Northern Territory.

Year 3s also had the second highest number of students who needed additional writing support.

Perhaps most alarmingly, Queensland also performed among the worst in the country for reading across all cohorts who sat the exam in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

None of this is the fault of Mr Langbroek – he returned to the job less than a year ago.

But it is now his job to fix it.

Improving the state’s poor NAPLAN ratings is one of five key performance indicators outlined to Mr Langbroek in a charter letter from his boss, Premier David Crisafulli.

Earlier this year, Mr Langbroek told The Courier-Mail “I don’t make guarantees” and pointed out he was “not a teacher” when directly asked if he could guarantee Queensland’s NAPLAN ratings would be better by the next state election in 2028.

That was in stark contrast to his declaration in 2014, and the flippancy of the statement raised eyebrows, considering Mr Crisafulli’s pledge to hold ministers accountable for reaching the goals outlined in their charter letters.

Mr Langbroek seems to have learned his lesson because after the latest NAPLAN results emerged, he said he remained committed to lifting the results.

“Our government unashamedly backs NAPLAN to drive more information for schools and parents and drive up education outcomes,” he said.

Mr Langbroek said increased participation across the board was a step forward, but “we want to continue this momentum to ensure results are lifting along with participation”.

While the results are alarming, it is likely not the fault of Queensland’s teachers – the majority of whom are hardworking and care deeply about their jobs.

As their frustration leading to their strike threat next week indicates, they are sick of red tape and paperwork getting in the way of doing the job parents expect them to do: teach.

Mr Langbroek can certainly do something on that.

His renewed enthusiasm for improving NAPLAN results – which help identify communities where more money and effort could be invested – is welcome.

There won’t be a quick fix, but lifting our education standards will be worth the time and effort.

PREMIER MUST DISCLOSE TRAVEL

We said it here last week, and we repeat it here today: Premier David Crisafulli should reveal the total cost of the flights he has taken on the government jet, and how many times he has flown on a commercial airline for work trips since taking the state’s top job last October.

He should do so not because the Premier of Queensland must stay in Brisbane. To the contrary, we have always supported our political leaders traversing our huge state – they need to, to understand it. We fully support the Premier’s use of the government jet for legitimate purposes. We have been consistent on this point in this column.

But we also strongly believe in Your Right to Know – and so we also think he should come clean on the details because he is a servant of the people and the people deserve to know all the details.

In his appearance at yesterday’s parliamentary estimates hearing – his first as premier – Mr Crisafulli claimed he flies commercially, but again refused to detail when he has.

He also committed to only being as “transparent as the former government in this regard” – and pointed to the government’s open data portal system, which he said included public information on the 60 hours of private jet travel he had racked up so far during his first six months in government.

But that site does not include the cost of the jet use to taxpayers, nor has any detail about commercial flights he might or might not have taken. Queenslanders deserve to know more, for transparency’s sake.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here