NAPCC report reveals Australian students civics proficiency dropped to lowest level ever

A new report has revealed Australian students’ understanding about our political system and democratic principles has dropped to the lowest level in two decades. Test yourself.

Australian students’ proficiency in civics and citizenship has fallen to lowest level in two decades.

Australian students’ knowledge and understanding about the country’s political system and civics has fallen to the lowest level in two decades, according to a new report.

The latest National Assessment Program (NAP) sample Civics and Citizenship (CC) Report released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) shows students’ proficiency in civics and citizenship dropped to the lowest level since testing began in 2004.

The NAP-CC assessment is designed to measure students’ cognitive competencies in civics and citizenship, including their knowledge of democratic principles, the Australia political system and related historical contexts, according to ACARA. The test also evaluates students’ capacity to apply this knowledge to engage with, and participate in, civic processes.

Australian students’ proficiency in civics and citizenship has fallen to the lowest level in two decades, according to a new report from ACARA.

The 2024 report shows only 43 per cent of Year 6 students attained the proficient standard, compared to 53 per cent the last assessment was undertaken in 2019.

A decline was also found in the Year 10 results, which fell from 38 per cent in 2019 to 28 per cent in 2024.

This declining trend has been observed in similar tests internationally, ACARA said.

The students also completed a questionnaire about their attitudes and engagement with the subject, which found that students, especially those in Year 6, expressed a high degree of trust in civic institutions but considerably less trust in the media or social media.

Both year groups expressed concerns about issues affecting Australia, including pollution, climate change, crime and racism.

ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel said the NAP-CC results highlighted the need to continue to support teachers to effectively deliver engaging civics and citizenship education.

“Encouragingly, this latest report shows that most students rate citizenship behaviours, such as learning about Australia’s history, as important. Therefore, it is vital that all young Australians get a strong grounding with civics education to feel engaged with social and political issues, so that they can make a valuable contribution as society’s future stewards,” he said.

Year 6 and Year 10 students expressed a high degree of trust in civic institutions but considerably less trust in the media or social media. Picture: Newswire/Gary Ramage

The latest report also found different results across subgroups of students.

Year 6 female students significantly outperformed male students as in previous assessments but there was no significant gender difference at Year 10. Previously Year 10 female students performed better.

The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students attaining the proficient standard in both year levels remained significant.

Schools in major cities generally outperformed those in regional and remote schools, like other national assessment results.

Achievement in civics and citizenship gradually increased with increasing levels of parental occupation and parental education, resulting in large, significant differences between the highest and the lowest occupational and educational groups

Originally published as NAPCC report reveals Australian students civics proficiency dropped to lowest level ever