Syllabus author rejects Abbott 'politicisation'

THE lead writer of the national geography syllabus yesterday defended the Australian Curriculum.

THE lead writer of the national geography syllabus yesterday defended the Australian Curriculum against charges that it has been politicised and neglects basic facts and traditional subjects.

Retired Flinders University associate professor in geography Alaric Maude said the curriculum was a product of the collective efforts of hundreds of people with a wide range of views.

"The outcomes are by no means perfect, but I am confident that revisions will be made in response to the experience of teaching them, and in response to reasoned criticism. This has been sadly lacking," he said.

Dr Maude was responding to claims by Tony Abbott in the last week of the election campaign that the history curriculum in particular had been politicised and neglected the conservative side of politics The Coalition's education policy foreshadows a national curriculum review.

Dr Maude, who wrote the initial directions paper mapping out the geography curriculum, welcomed debate but was dismayed by "the lack of factual accuracy in the constant criticisms drip-fed through the pages of The Australian".

He was unaware of any influence by the former federal Labor government on the writing of the curriculum. "All the pressures have come from states and territories, and mainly from those with Coalition governments."

"The curriculum documents make it clear that what is to be taught is the subject. The only teaching and learning that is mandated is what is contained in the content descriptions in each subject curriculum."

The Australian Curriculum describes seven general capabilities students should learn, "21st century skills, ranging from literacy and numeracy to critical and creative thinking, problem solving, collaboration and ethics".