Overhauling a so-called "industrial school" model and moving to more individualised teaching is the Federal Government's aim following the latest Gonski education review. The Government says it wants to improve plunging student outcomes, although critics say they worry the ambitious recommendations may not be implemented properly...
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the attitude of Australia's schoolchildren is too relaxed when it comes to their education. And he says he is determined to bring the country's education system in step with the 21stcentury.
"There's too much coasting and cruising. Every child should advance by a year, whether they’re an A-grade student. If they’re getting A’s, they should be moving up to A-pluses."
His remarks follow the release of businessman and education advocate David Gonski's second major report into the Australian education system. And the Federal Government says it supports all 23 recommendations.
They include:
- establishing an online tool to measure literacy and numeracy, which would prioritise those foundation skills in the early years and relieve the focus on NAPLAN testing
- establishing an independent inquiry into the secondary-school curriculum, along with a national research institute
- giving principals greater professional autonomy and encouraging professional development for teachers
- and, introducing a so-called "unique student identifier" which allows a student's progress to be tracked, even if the student changes schools or moves interstate.
Through the recommendations, Mr Gonski says, he hopes to advance Australia’s 3.8 million school students.
"Looking at the system as a whole, it should adapt and adopt over time so that we always have as good a system as, really, we deserve, which is number one," Gonski says.
