Rob Stokes announces plan to ‘declutter’ NSW school curriculum
NSW government’s first overhaul of the state’s education content in 29 years slammed as a ‘hollow move’.
The NSW state government is set to “declutter” its school curriculum in the first overhaul of the state’s education content in 29 years, a move critics have described “a hollow exercise” that has come “too late” for struggling students.
NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes announced yesterday the state’s curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12 would be reviewed in a shake-up that will implement findings from businessman David Gonski’s latest report into Australian school education.
“This is a once-in-a-generation chance to examine, declutter and improve the NSW curriculum to make it simpler to understand and teach,” Mr Stokes said in a statement.
“Several recent national reports on improving educational outcomes call for curriculum review, and we are keen to ensure these reports are answered by real action.”
He said the focus of the review would be on the core values of literacy and numeracy.
NSW opposition spokesman Jihad Dib blamed slipping education standards on the Berejiklian government’s failure to communicate with teachers.
He said the review was a “hollow exercise” and the government’s “patchwork tinkering with the syllabus” over eight years had led to NSW falling in national and international rankings.
NSW now stands behind the ACT, WA, Victoria and the national average in the area of scientific literacy.
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