Politics · Australia · 6 hrs ago
Australian education ministers agree to major school reforms
Australian education ministers agreed to a package of school reforms after meeting this week.
From next year, students will get new national resources on antisemitism, Jewish history and the Holocaust, developed after the Bondi Beach attack.
The reforms also respond to record-low test results, including weak civics scores and gaps in numeracy.
Ministers are considering making civics lessons compulsory in years nine and 10, after 72 per cent of students did not understand basic democracy.
A taskforce will examine screen time and AI use in schools, while ministers survey parents, students and teachers about further changes.
A new maths curriculum for the first three years of primary school will include financial literacy.
A new national commission will bring four education bodies together to oversee curriculum, teacher standards, testing and research on teaching methods.
Australian education ministers have agreed to a package of school reforms, including new curriculum resources addressing antisemitism and a national maths curriculum for the first three years of primary school.
The reforms follow Australia’s lowest-ever results in international and national tests, including record-low civics scores.
Ministers agreed to establish a taskforce to consider restricting screen time and the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
They also agreed to create a Teaching and Learning Commission by merging four existing education bodies.
New resources on Jewish history, antisemitism and the Holocaust are due to be taught from next year.
- Who
- Australian education ministers agreed to the reforms. Education Minister Jason Clare announced them.
- What
- They agreed to reforms including new curriculum resources, a primary maths curriculum, a digital detox taskforce and a new national commission.
- When
- Ministers met this week, according to the article published on November 5, 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- The measures aim to address declining school results, including low civics scores and weak numeracy results, and to support teachers.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Australian students recorded their worst-ever civics scores, with 72 per cent not understanding the basics of democracy.
Education ministers met and agreed to a package of school reforms.
Students are to learn about antisemitism and the Holocaust through new national curriculum resources.
- Civics results
- 72 per cent of students did not understand the basics of democracy
- Numeracy
- One in three students did not meet minimum expectations
- Primary maths curriculum
- New national curriculum for the first three years of primary school
- Teaching and Learning Commission
- To merge ACARA, AITSL, AERO and ESA
- Antisemitism resources
- Planned to be taught from next year
What people are saying
Today we're announcing the next stage of reforms to help our kids learn and to support our teachers — a digital detox in schools restricting screen time and the use of AI
We have to make sure our students are learning about our democracy and Australian values.
These changes are important but there is always more we can do to stamp out racism in all its noxious forms
Schools should be able to limit generative AI when students need to do the thinking themselves.