Government Promises ‘Practical’ Reforms in Response to Poor NAPLAN Results

The education minister highlighted the allocated $16 billion for the public school system in response to the NAPLAN results showing deficiencies in education levels. The government plans to implement practical reforms with the funding, including phonics and numeracy checks in year one to identify students at risk. Minister Jason Clare stressed that the budget would be tied to specific reforms and not be a “blank cheque.” The NAPLAN data revealed that one in three Australian students were below literacy and numeracy benchmarks, leading to a heated Question Time session in Parliament. Clare emphasized that the issue starts before primary school and called for a strong workforce to improve early education and care. Disparities between metropolitan and non-metropolitan students were also noted, along with the impact of parental education levels on student performance. The minister acknowledged the need for a better and fairer education system, especially for Indigenous students who are falling behind in various testing domains. The goal is to address these issues to ensure a higher percentage of students complete high school successfully.

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