Top achievers awarded as schools set to celebrate National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2014

Schools around Australia have been encouraged to take part in National Literacy and Numeracy Week, which runs 25 to 31 August 2014. Minister for Education the Hon Christopher Pyne MP said National Literacy and Numeracy Week (NLNW) aims to celebrate learning and raise awareness of the importance of reading, writing and mathematics skills. “I strongly encourage all schools across the country to take part in the national celebrations of learning, and to get involved in the week’s activities,” Mr Pyne said. This year’s literacy activities include A Poem in Your Pocket and Read for Australia. The numeracy activity is called Reach for the Stars. Read for Australia will provide all schools with the chance to participate in a simultaneous reading of the book Sunday Chutney by Aaron Blabey at 2 pm Friday 29 August. The numeracy activity Reach for the Stars has the theme drinking water. Students will identify, count and measure the sources of water in their community. Mr Pyne also encouraged Australian families to get involved in local activities for National Literacy and Numeracy Week. “This Government understands the important influence parents have on their children’s education and I invite them to join in to celebrate literacy and numeracy,” he said. Today the Australian Government also took the opportunity to announce the recipients of the Australian Student Prize, acknowledging the country’s top 500 senior secondary students for their outstanding work during the 2013 school year. The Prize is awarded in recognition of academic excellence and achievement, and has been awarded annually since 1991. The 2013 prize was awarded to 10 students from the Australian Capital Territory, 149 from New South Wales, 4 from the Northern Territory, 111 from Queensland, 40 from South Australia, 11 from Tasmania, 123 from Victoria and 52 from Western Australia. National Literacy and Numeracy Week and the Australian Student Prize are part of the Australian Government’s Students First approach, focussing on four key areas that will make a difference to students: · teacher quality · school autonomy · parental engagement · strengthening the curriculum. For further information about NLNW and to access a large range of free online resources visit: www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au. A list of the Student Prize winners is available at: https://education.gov.au/australian-student-prize 25 August 2014