Gillard refuses to confirm future of specialised e

Gillard refuses to confirm future of specialised education under national curriculum

The Deputy Prime Minister has refused to confirm that the future of schools offering unique courses is safe under a mandatory national curriculum, instead deferring the decision to the National Curriculum board, Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education said today.

“Who is driving education policy in the Rudd Government? Ms Gillard or the National Curriculum Board?” Mr Pyne asked.

“All Ms Gillard needs to utter is three words ‘or its equivalent’ after ‘national curriculum’, to give the non-government sector the assurances it needs,” he said.

“If Ms Gillard has so much on her plate that she is unable to make a decision, instead leaving it to an unaccountable administrative body, then it might be time to reassess her portfolio priorities.

“Schools that offer curricula based on different educational philosophies must be allowed to continue offering those choices without being strangled out of existence by Canberra.

Steiner Schools, Montessori Schools, International Baccalaureate or University of Cambridge International Examinations programs, as well as the individual student programs offered by special needs, Muslim, Christian and Jewish schools are being forced to sign up to an as yet unwritten national curriculum to receive funding for the next four years.

“While the Coalition supports the availability of a national curriculum it should not be so prescriptive that it doesn’t allow for diversity,” Mr Pyne said.

“The first to the guillotine in Ms Gillard’s revolution are choice and diversity,” he said.

10 November 2008

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