Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today released the first draft Australian Curriculum for students from Kindergarten to Year 10 in the subjects of English, maths, science and history.
Having an online curriculum means the curriculum will be dynamic, and easily updated, in contrast with the static, hard-copy format. The Australian Curriculum will be among the world's first curriculum delivered online.
From next year, students from all states and territories will be able to move schools, school systems and states and be taught the same knowledge, skills and understanding as part of a curriculum for the 21st Century.
For the first time, the 80 000 students who move interstate each year won't have to get to know a whole new curriculum at the same time as getting to know a new school.
The Prime Minister and Minister released the draft Australian Curriculum during a visit to Amaroo School in the ACT which has a large number of Australian Defence Force families. They met with parents and students who have moved often during their schooling, and who will be among those that will particularly benefit from the new, national approach.
The draft Australian Curriculum has been developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), in consultation with education authorities and curriculum experts. It has been shaped by the advice of teachers, principals and others with expertise in particular subject areas, stages of schooling and equity and diversity.
Building on the consultation process to date, from today all Australians interested in our children's education are invited to review and provide feedback on the curriculum taught in our schools during the public consultation period until 23 May 2010.
In addition, 150 schools across Australia will be trialling the new curriculum over the next 3 months. The names of these schools will be released shortly.
The Rudd Government strongly believes the curriculum should be developed by experts and not by politicians.
The new curriculum represents another significant step towards achieving a new era of transparency in Australian schools following on from the highly successful My School web site.
The new Australian Curriculum will be implemented by state and territory education authorities from 2011.
A draft English, mathematics, science and history curriculum for Years 11-12 will be released for consultation later this year.
The second phase of the Australian Curriculum will include languages, geography and the arts.
To view the draft Australian Curriculum, visit the consultation website www.australiancurriculum.edu.au.