NSW School curriculum reform: NSW Government reject 33 recommendations of review

The NSW Government has declined to support a single recommendation proposed in a review into the school curriculum. Find out why.

The NSW Government has refused to support a single recommendation of the Parliamentary Inquiry reviewing the state’s school curriculum.

The parliamentary inquiry, chaired by Upper House MLC Mark Latham, criticised the lack of detailed government reform for the NSW school curriculum, which promised an emphasis on “literacy and numeracy, deep knowledge and student inquiry, quality teaching and practices that are known to work in the classroom”.

Hon Mark Latham pictured at the 2019-2020 Budget Estimates Hearing held at NSW parliament in Sydney. Picture: Richard Dobson

Following the release of recommendation, Mr Latham said the task of lifting school performance was straightforward: “follow the evidence base; eliminate fads and experimental practices; do the things that are known to work”.
“In recent decades, the NSW education system has deviated from the evidence base, triggering an alarming decline in student academic outcomes,” he said.

“Similarly, the school curriculum has suffered. New South Wales used to have one of the best English syllabuses in the world.

“Today it’s a Petri dish for the mindless fads of identity politics, gender studies and postmodernism.”

NSW Minister Education and Early Childhood Learning, Sarah Mitchell. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

However the NSW Government’s response, handed down last week, saw Education Minister Sarah Mitchell note the inquiry’s 33 recommendations, telling NewsLocal many of the recommendations “addressed work already underway through our NSW Government reforms”.

“The Curriculum Reform began last year,” She said.

“It is led by experts and sense checked with teachers to make sure it will be effective in the classroom.”

The Education Minister described the reform as a “once in a generation piece of work that is well advanced”.

The review called for a decluttering of the NSW school curriculum. NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

In response to calls by Mr Latham for a “best practice curriculum” aimed at narrowing syllabus taught in classrooms, Ms Mitchell said NSW syllabuses would be accompanied by “support materials with evidence-based teaching strategies and assessment methodologies”.

“My focus as Minister is on delivering this reform,” she said. “The new K-2 English and mathematics syllabuses being released imminently are rigorous, evidence based, and have cemented a phonics-first approach in NSW.

“NESA have consulted with a range of experts through our Technical Advisory Group to ensure that the new syllabuses are world class.

Ms Mitchell said many of the recommendations were already being enacted by the NSW Government.

Ms Mitchell said the government was “open to exploring opportunities” for regional primary schools to be used as distance learning hubs for high school students.

Meanwhile, the Minister did not support calls for the study of a compulsory second language, instead noting the recommendation.

“NESA is currently developing new K – 6 and 7–10 language curriculum and will continue to work with the sectors to determine the best way of approaching this recommendation in NSW,” she said. “Schools have the option to teach languages in NSW primary schools.”

Deputy opposition leader Prue Car. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Deputy opposition leader and shaddow education spokeswoman Prue Car said the government may have missed opportunities by noting all 33 recommendations.

“We know results in NSW have declined significantly,” Ms Car said.

“The NSW Liberal Government claims curriculum changes are the answer yet they still won’t admit to the cause of the problems.

“It’s essentially taken this Liberal Government 6 months to say they’re not going to do anything differently – which doesn’t bode well for improving outcomes for NSW students.”