New academy to boost STEM interests

LISMORE students will soon have access to a boosted STEM curriculum under new academy program.

AIMING FOR EXCELLENCE: Students from The Rivers College, which includes Lismore, Kadina and Richmond River High Schools, will reap the benefits of the new Rivers Academy for STEM Excellence. Photo: Jackie Munro

WITH engineering, mathematics and technological skills in high demand, Lismore students will soon have access to a boosted curriculum to help create new job opportunities once they have graduated.

The Rivers Secondary College executive principal Ian Davies said the college, which combines the Kadina, Lismore and Richmond River High Schools, has worked with the NSW Department of Education to create a new STEM academy program.

The academy curriculum will place a greater emphasis on subjects such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, most commonly known as STEM, with a greater focus on “practical, innovative and real world ways of thinking”.

Mr Davies said the program has been made possible due to funding from the department, and will offer a boosted STEM curriculum from kindergarten through to HSC students.

“We have been working with local industries to look at what skills students require in the STEM area to be successful in industry in the coming decades,” he said.

The Rivers Academy for STEM Excellence (RASE), is set to be trialled from next term, with a number of primary schools joining the pilot program, including Lismore, Lismore South, Lismore Heights, Dunoon, Bexhill and Albert Park primary schools, as well as the Dorroughby Environment Education Centre.

Mr Davies said the college has appointed a project officer, Heather Laverick, and is working closely with Regional Development Australia.

Ms Laverick said students will be able to learn valuable skills as part of industry partnerships with organisations such as Rous County Council and Southern Cross University, to further their education.

“What this means is students will be able to experience how STEM skills are applied in the real world,” she said.

“Not only will they learn about real world issues, but they will also be able to work to try and come up with real world solutions, all as part of their education.”

Ms Laverick said this boosted education will help students in post-school pathways and careers.

“A lot of these jobs haven’t even been created yet, but our students will be actively learning the skills they need to step into one of these jobs once they graduate,” she said.

The introduction of the academy is timely, with recently released data showing NSW students are falling behind in STEM subjects.

Compared to other Australian states, NSW students have dropped from fourth to sixth in reading, third to fifth in maths and third to fifth in science between 2012 and 2018.

The NSW Government this week announced it was overturning the school curriculum, in its “biggest shake-up in 30 years”.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the overhauled curriculum is set to launch in 2022 and will deliver better results for students across the entire state.

“For our youngsters, the curriculum needs to focus on core subjects of English, maths and science,” she said.

“We need to lift standards and ensure every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”