Mark Latham has urged the NSW Government to reform their school programs after claiming primary school students are being taught kooky wellness programs in class.
The NSW One Nation leader revealed in Estimates hearings on March 3 that 60 schools across NSW, and 250 schools in Australia, have hired the ‘Grow Your Mind’ consultancy group – which runs ‘Animal Yoga’ and ‘Shark vs Dolphin Thinking’ mental health programs.
Grow Your Mind said on their website they provide programs designed to educate students on brain awareness, resilience, mindfulness and compassion.
Mr Latham further criticised the programs offered by the consultancy group and argued schools should focus on academia on the The Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Wednesday.
The Shark vs Dolphin Thinking program poses questions to students and asks them to answer based on the different perspectives of Dolphins and Sharks
Grow Your Mind said on their website they provide programs designed to educate students on brain awareness, resilience, mindfulness and compassion
‘There are 60 schools that are paying taxpayers money for what are so-called ”wellbeing programs”,’ Mr Latham said.
‘We all want our kids to be in a good state of mind, but the primary purpose of a school must be academic attainment.’
His comments came after it was revealed only one out of 2,200 government schools in NSW had ‘achieve academic growth’ in their strategic objectives for students.
The Animal Yoga program is focused on brain awareness and consists of a script and poses named after animals.
The program is made for teachers to read to students from preschool to year six.
The Shark vs Dolphin Thinking program poses questions to students and asks them to answer based on the different perspectives of Dolphins and Sharks.
This program is themed around optimism and is made for students from year three to year six.
The NSW One Nation leader revealed in Estimates hearings on March 3 that 60 schools across NSW, and 250 schools in Australia, have hired the ‘Grow Your Mind’ consultancy group (pictured: Mark Latham)
The Animal Yoga program is focused on brain awareness and consists of a script and poses named after animals
A spokesperson from Grow Your Mind said it was a ‘strange time’ to be targeting a small social venture that is trying to do something for children.
‘We are saddened that Mr Latham has chosen to pick on us and misrepresent what we do particularly in this environment when teachers, parents and small business are at their most vulnerable,’ the Grow Your Mind spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said they provide practical, evidence-based, positive mental health strategies to build resilience and compassion in children, teachers and families.
‘Mr Latham has referred to three of our free worksheets without taking the time to understand the comprehensive and evidence-based services we provide,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Incidentally, Mr Latham wants children to be prepared for the workforce, our response to that would be: the productivity commission estimates that mental ill-health and suicide are costing Australians up to $180 billion per year.’
‘We would welcome a conversation with Mr Latham at any time.’
Mr Latham further criticised the programs offered by the consultancy group and argued schools should focus on academia instead while on The Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Wednesday
‘We all want our kids to be in a good state of mind but the primary purpose of a school must be academic attainment,’ Mr Latham said.
Mr Latham initially criticised Grow Your Mind during an NSW Budget Estimates hearing but elaborated further on Twitter the following day.
‘At NSW Budget Estimates, I asked why money is being spent on the Grow Your Mind program in schools, with its worksheets on Animal Yoga, Shark vs Dolphin Thinking, Growth Mindset Tree and Gratitude Meditation,’ Mr Latham said on Twitter.
He said the NSW Government had ‘lost control’ over what is being taught to students at schools.
‘NSW Education bureaucrats could not explain why, having had six years to prepare for the flood of Gonski equity money into schools, no enforceable guidelines have been issued on the best way of spending these funds.
‘As a result, many millions wasted every day in NSW schools on junk programs.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mark Latham for comment.