Maths to become a compulsory subject for all students from kindergarten through to Year 12
- Maths to become compulsory for NSW students from kindergarten to the HSC
- Aim is to ensure students are equipped with numeracy skills they need for future
- Comes after interim report into the NSW Curriculum Review released this week
Maths will be compulsory for all students up until Year 12 under a revised back-to-basics overhaul of the New South Wales school curriculum.
The aim of the curriculum shake up is ensure students are equipped with the numeracy skills they need to prepare for jobs in the future and succeed in society.
The state government will soon begin consultation with education stakeholders on how the subject can be incorporated from kindergarten right through to the HSC.
‘We promised to take the curriculum back to the basics and today we are taking the first steps to deliver on that commitment by prioritising maths,’ NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said in a statement on Thursday.
Mathematics will soon be a compulsory subject for all school students in New South Wales
‘My vision is for every child in NSW to have the necessary maths skills to succeed in life, whether that’s managing home budgets or preparing them for the jobs of the future in science, technology and engineering.’
Education minister Sarah Mitchell added: ‘Whether you are a carpenter or a software engineer, maths is a companion for life, we want to make sure the new curriculum provides a level of maths concepts that will help every NSW student succeed in life after school.
‘Parents have a reasonable expectation that their children are mathematically literate when they finish school in Year 12.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) said the time has come to prioritise mathematics
An interim report into the NSW Curriculum Review commissioned by Professor Geoff Masters was released earlier this week, which signalled the start of a major shake up to the syllabus with a renewed focus on maths, English and science.
The draft review indicated ‘significant change’ is required to the curriculum.
Maths is currently not compulsory for year 11 and 12 students in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, while Queensland and South Australian students must study subject in their final years of school.
‘This is the first review of the curriculum to be done in 30 years. It’s a great opportunity for us to reflect on the future of education in NSW and make changes to meet the needs of today’s society,’ Ms Mitchell said.
‘Students need to be equipped with strong literacy and numeracy foundations to succeed in the 21st Century. We want a curriculum that leaves no student behind while stimulating students who are advancing faster than others.’