CEFA is proud to announce that we have put in a submission to the Australian Government Curriculum Review. CEFA believes C & C needs to be successfully taught in every school and every classroom to every student throughout Australia. There is very poor C & C student knowledge currently as shown in research such as the Youth Electoral Studies, the 2012 Lowy Institute report and the results of Government C & C knowledge testing. Teachers themselves lack knowledge of important topics essential to be taught to all ages in schools such as how voting works in Australia and the value of each person’s vote, the rule of law, the workings of the Westminster-based parliamentary system, Australia’s three levels of government, how systems of government work, the making of bills and the passing of legislation, the history of Federation and the importance of the Constitution in topical debate issues of the day and the history and traditions of our democracy.
CEFA has been working on school’s projects such as Parliaments in Schools, yaba.edu.au, and many other practical delivery projects and resources since 1995. CEFA projects provide practical curriculum support to young Australians and their teachers. Our Review argues CEFA is best placed to deliver ongoing exciting, engaging lessons, units and topics of work to deliver a world-class national C & C curriculum. CEFA projects utilise all possible available teaching tools that deliver the skills and knowledge required for students to become active participants in the Australian democracy. CEFA projects focus on improving schools and students outcomes so that future C & C assessment testing will show substantial improvement in skills, knowledge, engagement , interest and understanding.
The new Federal Minister of Education the Hon. Mr Christopher Pyne MP has commissioned a review of the Australian Curriculum welcoming input into how the curriculum is and should be taught in schools. CEFA Executive Director, Mrs Jones was delighted to receive a personal letter from the Federal Minister of Education expressing his commitment to the implementation of a ‘world class, national curriculum’.
At the request of the Minister and the Prime Minister, CEFA is submitting to the review a paper outlining the importance of education about the Constitution, history and process of our democracy and rule of law and the importance of young Australians learning skills such as becoming willing and informed voters.
CEFA is recommending to the Review and that as a part of the Australian Curriculum CEFA wants to ensure C & C delivery to every teacher and students in every classroom of Australia and to play our part in the new Government move back to a more content focused curriculum with practical resource support.
