Garrett in hiding as curriculum flounders
02 Nov 2011
Media release The Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett, appears to be in hiding as one of the Government's key reforms, the national curriculum, continues to flounder.
Mr Garrett yesterday sent out the head of the curriculum board, Professor Barry McGaw, to announce a major overhaul was underway two months out from the curriculum deadline.
Professor McGaw all but conceded the curriculum would not be ready for schools to implement by January 2011 as was originally promised by the Prime Minister.
Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education announced the Coalition will move a motion in Parliament to delay what is widely considered to be a substandard curriculum until 2012, giving the drafters more time to get it right.
"It seems everyone except Mr Garrett is prepared to admit the curriculum will not be ready in time. Just last week in Parliament Mr Garrett confirmed the timetable for delivery was unchanged," Mr Pyne said.
"Now it appears Mr Garrett isn't prepared to front up and deliver the bad news. Professor McGaw has confirmed the science curriculum will not be ready, and given a strong impression that maths, history, and English are in the same boat," he said.
The Prime Minister recently cited delivering a national curriculum as a major reform of her Government, so it is little wonder that some sort of mad panic has set in at the curriculum board where significant parts of Australia's history are ending up on the scrap heap.
Mr Garrett needs to step in and take control of this process. He needs to support the Coalition's plan to give the drafters more time.
Something as important as a national curriculum needs to be of the very highest standard and as Labor hasn't been able to deliver it in three years as promised, the Coalition will support any move to allow more time for the development process.
"Mr Garrett handled the Government's solar panels, green loans and home insulation schemes badly - he can't afford to make another mess," Mr Pyne said.
October 30, 2010
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