The Turnbull Government has released a landmark report into Australia’s school system that outlines a clear plan to ensure every school student, including those in Bonner, has the opportunities they need to succeed.
Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta welcomed the Turnbull Government’s in-principle support for all recommendations of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools led by Mr David Gonski AC.
“Every student deserves a quality school education, and every student in every school in our community should be given every opportunity to succeed and to thrive,” Mr Vasta said.
“I know that local parents value their schools and the teachers who work hard in our classrooms to teach and help prepare their children for whatever challenges the future holds.
“Parents also want to know how our record amount of school funding will improve our students’ educational outcomes.
“This is a challenge the Turnbull Government is committed to tackling. This review is an opportunity for all levels of government, educators, and families to turn around Australia’s performance and build a stronger school system.”
Head of Secondary at Citipointe Christian College, Mrs Helen Moore, welcomed the review.
“For years we have noted a drop in overall standards of literacy in particular, especially in the lack of sophistication of style and breadth of student writing. We were concerned enough eight years ago to begin addressing this specific area in our College,” Mrs Moore said.
“The recommendations in the Gonski report are wide and general so the impact on schools remains to be seen when further details of actions are published.”
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the Review provides a national blueprint for every government, every teacher, and every family to help tackle declining school performance in Australia.
“There’s no doubt Australia has some of the world’s best teachers and school leaders, and they work hard to help students achieve outcomes that are the envy of many other countries,” Minister Birmingham said.
“But it is clear that while school funding has been growing year after year and is now, for the first time, truly needs-based – and will continue to grow under the Turnbull Government to new record levels over the next ten years – student outcomes aren’t keeping pace.
“This Review was about how to put our record and growing needs-based funding to best use to improve school performance and student outcomes.
“Australia must focus on creating an education system that gives each student the opportunity to excel and to be their individual best.”
The report is available at: Through Growth to Achievement: the Review to Achieve Education Excellence in Australian Schools
The report identifies 23 recommendations under five themes:
• Laying the foundations of learning before the school years and in the home environment;
• Equipping every student to grow and succeed with the knowledge they need and a focus on growing each individuals’ skills;
• Creating, support and valuing a profession of expert educators including building on the Government’s reforms to date in teacher education;
• Empowering and supporting school leaders with experience and autonomy;
• Lifting aspirations with quality assurance, data and evidence-based research.
The Government will now work with states and territories and non-government school systems to determine how the reforms set out in the Review should be delivered. A new reform agreement between the Commonwealth and jurisdictions will be negotiated this year to come into effect from 2019.
