Education Minister Sarah Courtney to call in for crucial meeting while stuck in iso in France

The Education Minister who is stuck in isolation with Covid in France will have to be up at the crack of dawn on Friday for a crucial meeting. LATEST >>

EDUCATION Minister Sarah Courtney, in isolation in France with Covid, will have to be up at the crack of dawn on Friday to take part in a crucial meeting on the Australian curriculum.

The hour-and-a-half meeting special meeting is due to start at 2.30pm Australian time which will be 4.30am Paris time.

The state government has confirmed Ms Courtney, who is on leave until Monday, “plans to take part” in a special meeting of all state and territory education ministers which will receive a Covid update and consider the latest version of the national curriculum.

The meeting will discuss a paper prepared by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.

Labor’s education spokesman Josh Willie questioned how Ms Courtney would participate in the meeting.

“The key question is when did she know about this meeting – was it before she went on leave?” Mr Willie said.

“It will determine what children will learn and what teachers will teach for years to come.

“It is a really important meeting and it is vital that Tasmania has a strong voice in this discussion.”

Education and Training Minister Sarah Courtney speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

Mr Willie said the Australian curriculum had been under review for some time.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said Ms Courtney should “be on deck now”.

“All we have to do is look at how NAPLAN results have gone backwards under the Liberals to see how critical this meeting is,” Ms O’Connor said.

“The decisions made at this meeting will impact Tasmanians students’ lives. They deserve better than a holidaying Minister tuning in from her Paris sickbed at 4.30am.

“She should recover, return and resign.”

Australian Education Union president David Genford said he hoped Ms Courtney was well enough to take part in the meeting.

“Any discussion of the national curriculum is very important and input from all states is required,” Mr Genford said.

The Australian Education Union's Tasmanian president David Genford. Picture: Chris Kidd

“I hope she can take part but I suppose that depends how she is feeling (with Covid).

“If she can’t the previous Minister could step in.”

Ms Courtney has been under fire for holidaying overseas as teachers and school staff try to prepare for the return of students in the wake of a Covid wave since borders re-opened on December 15.

Acting Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said Ms Courtney’s leave was “pre-planned and scheduled” and she would “be back and engaged in her responsibilities next week”.

Education ministers agreed in 2020 that it was timely to review the version 8.4 of the Australian Curriculum which has been in operation since 2015.

Former federal education minister Alan Tudge, who resigned last year, clashed with Labor education ministers over the teaching of history in the curriculum.