Employers demand governments fix ‘shocking’ NAPLAN results

Shocked by the sheer number of Australian children failing to reach literacy and numeracy standards, employer groups have called for changes.

Too many students are struggling at school, with one in three Australian students failing to meet minimum standards in the NAPLAN literacy and numeracy tests.

Employers have blasted this year’s NAPLAN results as “a bad sign for our country’’, as the teacher union demands extra taxpayer funding for public schools.

One in three students failed to meet the minimum standards for reading, writing and mathematics in the 2024 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy.

The testing of 1.3 million students from years 3, 5, 7 and 9 identified one in 10 requiring extra support to catch up at school.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox called on federal, state and territory governments to stop bickering over school reforms and spending.

“The latest NAPLAN results are a bad sign for our country and paint a bleak picture for a more productive and competitive future,’’ he said.

“The sheer number of young Australians falling behind basic and necessary foundation skills is simply unacceptable and can’t be allowed to continue.

“We must get the basics right to develop the skills we need for tomorrow’s workforce.

“The funding issue must be resolved and the political blame game has to stop – we have well passed the time for this to be settled.’’

The federal government has offered to give the states an extra $16bn over the next 10 years for public schools, in return for hitting higher targets of literacy and numeracy, school attendance and Year 12 graduation rates.

Only the Northern Territory and Western Australia have agreed to the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement – other states and the ACT are demanding the Commonwealth double its offer.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the NAPLAN results prove that “serious reform is needed’’.

“There are no blank cheques here,’’ he said.

“I want to invest billions into our public schools and I want to make sure that money makes a difference to the kids who really need it.

“I have made it clear that the additional $16bn of funding for public schools the government has put on the table will be tied to practical reforms, like phonics checks and numeracy checks, evidence-based teaching and catch-up tutoring.’’

NSW Education Minister Prue Car is leading the states’ demand that the Commonwealth double its funding offer for public schools. Picture: Gaye Gerard/NewsWire

The Australian Education Union (AEU) blamed the poor results on “decade-long delays to public school funding’’.

“Teachers and education support personnel work very hard to cater for all of their students’ needs but they must be backed by governments with full funding,’’ AEU federal president Correna Haythorpe said.

“It is public schools that educate the most vulnerable students in Australia, with 82 per cent of students from low socio-educational disadvantage backgrounds and 83 per cent of First Nations students.

“As a nation, we cannot leave the most vulnerable students without the resources and support they need to fulfil their potential.’’

Greens schools spokeswoman Senator Penny Allman-Payne said that “it’s the underfunding, stupid’’.

“Minister Clare talks of more testing and more checkpoints, when what we really need is more teachers, smaller class sizes, less admin and red tape, and enough funding so that all students, regardless of where they live or how wealthy they are, get the support they need,’’ she said.

Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne said public schools don’t get enough taxpayer funding to help disadvantaged students who fall behind. Picture: Dan Peled/NewsWire

Federal opposition education spokeswoman Senator Sarah Henderson was refusing to say if she would offer the states the extra $16bn in Commonwealth cash if the Coalition won government next year.

She said on Wednesday that Mr Clare’s “funding war is a mess of Labor’s own making’’.

“It is shocking so many young Australians do not reach minimum standards of literacy and numeracy,’’ she said.

“Delivering a back to basics education sharply focused on literacy and numeracy, underpinned by explicit teaching and a knowledge-rich, common sense curriculum, is critical to raising school standards.’’