Media Statement - 1st September 2008
The Rudd Government will extend its $625.8 million package of incentives to lift the number of maths and science students and graduates entering teaching to primary schools in an effort to lift children’s numeracy skills.
To counter the decline in numeracy achievement over the primary years, the Government will extend financial incentives to students taking up university maths courses and to graduates who take jobs in their field including teaching.
Graduates who take up primary school teaching positions, bringing their specialist expertise in maths, will now be eligible for a refund of around half on their HECS-HELP repayments for up to five years. This would amount to an individual benefit of up to $1,500 per year for five years.
The preliminary National Report on Schooling in Australia for 2007 indicates that while 93.2 per cent of Year 3 students achieve numeracy benchmarks, this declines over the primary years.
By Year 5 the percentage of students meeting numeracy benchmarks falls to 89 per cent and by Year 7 it is 80.2 per cent (see graph on this page).
The National Numeracy Review commissioned by the Council of Australian Governments and released in July 2008 concluded that systematic teaching of numeracy in the early years of schooling, in maths lessons and across the wider curriculum is essential, and recommended that:
"all jurisdictions should work towards a minimum of 5 hours per week of mathematics for students in all the primary years"
These measures are part of the Government’s efforts to lift literacy and numeracy in our schools and build on our investment of $40.2 million in 29 literacy and numeracy pilot projects in schools across Australia.
We must act urgently to improve our children’s performance in maths and encourage those with aptitude to go on to study it.
Literacy and numeracy in the primary years are crucially important to ensuring all students participate in education and make a positive transition to work and learning in adult life.
Students who do not achieve the minimum standards in literacy and numeracy are least likely to stay on through secondary school or to end up in further study and employment.
They need the highest quality teaching and specialist expertise to help them stay on track and meet their individual needs.
As part of our Quality Education reforms we will also discuss with State and Territory Governments proposals to engage specialist teachers in our primary schools.
The 2008 Independent Review of Mathematics Teaching in the Early Years Settings and Primary Schools in the United Kingdom found that:
"the teacher, even more than the parent, determines learning outcomes in mathematics" and recommended that every primary school should have a mathematics specialist teacher.
Specialist teachers would have strong and recognised knowledge of the subject, a role in coordinating and improving maths learning across the school, and access to high quality professional development which strengthened their knowledge and skills further.
Recruiting teachers with specialist knowledge of maths to primary schools is clearly a critical part of lifting standards for all children.
The Government is providing around $63.6 million over four years to reduce compulsory HELP repayments for eligible maths and science graduates who work in related occupations, including teaching these subjects in secondary schools.
And from 1 January next year, student contributions for new students in maths and science will be reduced. For a new full-time student, this could mean a reduction from $7412 to $4162 in 2009. Funding of around $562.2 million over four years has been allocated to this initiative.
The National Report on Schooling in Australia for 2007 is available at: http://www.mceetya.edu.au/mceetya/2007_benchmarks_release,24495.html
For more information about National Literacy and Numeracy Week activities please visit: www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au
Quality Education: The case for an Education Revolution in our Schools is available at: http://www.deewr.gov.au