Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Declaration
on Educational
Goals for
Young
Australians
December 2008
This Declaration is made by all Mr Andrew Barr MLA The Hon. Dr Jane Lomax-Smith MP
Australian Education Ministers: Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Education (South Australia)
Minister for Children and Young People
The Hon. David Bartlett MP
(Australian Capital Territory)
Premier and Minister for Education
The Hon. Julia Gillard MP and Skills (Tasmania)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Chair, Ministerial Council on Education,
Education, Minister for Employment and Employment, Training and Youth Affairs
Workplace Relations, Minister for Social
The Hon. Bronwyn Pike
Inclusion (Australian Government)
Minister for Education (Victoria)
The Hon. Verity Firth MP
The Hon. Dr Elizabeth Constable MLA
Minister for Education and Training
Minister for Education (Western Australia)
(New South Wales)
Ministers would like to acknowledge
The Hon. Marion Scrymgour MLA
the members of the Working Group
Minister for Education and Training
responsible for developing this
(Northern Territory)
Declaration, and thank them for
The Hon. Rod Welford MP their valuable contribution.
Minister for Education, Training
and the Arts (Queensland)
Contents
Preamble 4
A Commitment to Action 10
As a nation Australia In the 21st century Australias In the 1989 Hobart Declaration and
capacity to provide a high quality the 1999 Adelaide Declaration, the
values the central of life for all will depend on the State, Territory and Commonwealth
role of education ability to compete in the global Education Ministers committed
economy on knowledge and to working together to ensure
in building a innovation. Education equips high-quality schooling for all
democratic, equitable young people with the knowledge, young Australians. The Melbourne
understanding, skills and values Declaration acknowledges major
and just society to take advantage of opportunity changes in the world that are
a society that is and to face the challenges of this placing new demands on
era with condence. Australian education:
prosperous, cohesive Schools play a vital role in promoting Global integration and international
and culturally diverse, the intellectual, physical, social, mobility have increased rapidly in
emotional, moral, spiritual and the past decade. As a consequence,
and that values aesthetic development and new and exciting opportunities
Australias Indigenous wellbeing of young Australians, for Australians are emerging. This
and in ensuring the nations heightens the need to nurture an
cultures as a key ongoing economic prosperity appreciation of and respect for social,
part of the nations and social cohesion. Schools share cultural and religious diversity,
this responsibility with students, and a sense of global citizenship.
history, present parents, carers, families, the
India, China and other Asian nations
and future. community, business and other
are growing and their inuence on
education and training providers.
the world is increasing. Australians
In recognition of this collective
need to become Asia literate,
responsibility, this declaration,
engaging and building strong
in contrast to earlier declarations
relationships with Asia.
on schooling, has a broader frame
and sets out educational goals Globalisation and technological
for young Australians. change are placing greater demands
on education and skill development
in Australia and the nature of jobs
available to young Australians is
changing faster than ever. Skilled
jobs now dominate jobs growth
and people with university or
vocational education and training
qualications fare much better in
the employment market than early
school leavers. To maximise their
opportunities for healthy, productive
and rewarding futures, Australias
young people must be encouraged
not only to complete secondary
education, but also to proceed into
further training or education.
06 7
0607
Improving educational outcomes These goals are:
for all young Australians is central
Goal 1:
to the nations social and economic
Australian schooling promotes
prosperity and will position young
equity and excellence
people to live fullling, productive
and responsible lives. Goal 2:
All young Australians become:
Young Australians are therefore
placed at the centre of the Melbourne successful learners
Declaration on Educational Goals. condent and creative individuals
active and informed citizens
Achieving these educational goals
is the collective responsibility of
governments, school sectors and
individual schools as well as parents
and carers, young Australians,
families, other education and
training providers, business and
the broader community.
and excellence This means that all Australian reduce the effect of other sources
governments and all school of disadvantage, such as disability,
sectors must: homelessness, refugee status
and remoteness
provide all students with access
to high-quality schooling that is ensure that schooling contributes
free from discrimination based on to a socially cohesive society that
gender, language, sexual orientation, respects and appreciates cultural,
pregnancy, culture, ethnicity, religion, social and religious diversity
health or disability, socioeconomic
encourage parents, carers,
background or geographic location
families, the broader community
ensure that schools build on local and young people themselves to
cultural knowledge and experience hold high expectations for their
of Indigenous students as a educational outcomes
foundation for learning, and work in
promote a culture of excellence
partnership with local communities
in all schools, by supporting
on all aspects of the schooling
them to provide challenging, and
process, including to promote
stimulating learning experiences
high expectations for the learning
and opportunities that enable all
outcomes of Indigenous students
students to explore and build on
ensure that the learning outcomes their gifts and talents
of Indigenous students improve to
promote personalised learning that
match those of other students
aims to full the diverse capabilities
of each young Australian.
The Educational Goals
for Young Australians
Goal 2: Australian governments commit to
working in collaboration with all
All young Australians school sectors to support all young
become successful Australians to become:
Successful learners develop their capacity to learn are able to plan activities
and play an active role in their independently, collaborate,
own learning work in teams and
communicate ideas
have the essential skills
in literacy and numeracy and are able to make sense of their
are creative and productive world and think about how
users of technology, especially things have become the way
ICT, as a foundation for success they are
in all learning areas
are on a pathway towards
are able to think deeply continued success in further
and logically, and obtain education, training or
and evaluate evidence in a employment, and acquire the
disciplined way as the result skills to make informed learning
of studying fundamental and employment decisions
disciplines throughout their lives
are creative, innovative and are motivated to reach their
resourceful, and are able to full potential.
solve problems in ways that
draw upon a range of learning
areas and disciplines
Developing stronger Parents, carers and families are the support for the development and
rst and most important inuence in wellbeing of young people and
partnerships a childs life, instilling the attitudes their families and can provide
and values that will support young opportunities for young Australians
people to participate in schooling to connect with their communities,
and contribute to broader local and participate in civic life and develop
global communities. a sense of responsible citizenship.
Partnerships between students, In particular, the development of
parents, carers and families, the partnerships between schools and
broader community, business, schools Indigenous communities, based on
and other education and training cross-cultural respect, is the main
providers bring mutual benets and way of achieving highly effective
maximise student engagement and schooling for Indigenous students.
achievement. Partnerships engender
Au
Australian governments commit to working with all school sectors to ensure
that
th at ssch
schools
choo engage young Australians, parents, carers, families, other
educ
ed ucat
uc atio
education ionn an
and d ttraining providers, business and the broader community
to support
sup
uppoportrt sstu
tude
de
students progress through schooling, and to provide them with
rich
ri ch
h learning,
lea
earn
rnin
ing,
g, p e
personal development and citizenship opportunities.
1011 MELBOURNE
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Supporting quality The teachers and leaders who work mentoring teachers to nd the
in Australias schools and educate best ways to facilitate learning,
teaching and young people are of fundamental and by promoting a culture of
school leadership importance to achieving these high expectations in schools.
educational goals for young School leaders are responsible
Australians. Excellent teachers for creating and sustaining the
have the capacity to transform the learning environment and the
lives of students and to inspire and conditions under which quality
nurture their development as teaching and learning take place.
learners, individuals and citizens.
All Australian governments,
They provide an additional source
universities, school sectors
of encouragement, advice and
and individual schools have a
support for students outside the
responsibility to work together
home, shaping teaching around
to support high-quality teaching
the ways different students learn
and school leadership, including
and nurturing the unique talents
by enhancing pre-service
of every student.
teacher education.
School principals and other school
leaders play a critical role in
supporting and fostering quality
teaching through coaching and
Strengthening early Governments have important roles Children who participate in quality
to play in ensuring that children early childhood education are more
childhood education receive quality early childhood likely to make a successful transition
education and care. The period from to school, stay longer in school,
birth through to eight years, continue on to further education
especially the rst three years, and fully participate in employment
sets the foundation for every and community life as adults.
childs social, physical, emotional Support for Indigenous children
and cognitive development. Early in the early years before school is
childhood education and care particularly important to ensure a
provides a basis for life and learning, successful transition to schooling,
both within and beyond the home, which may involve a culturally
and is supported by healthy, safe different learning environment.
and stimulating environments.
Enhancing middle The middle years are an important environments that specically
period of learning, in which consider the needs of middle years
years development knowledge of fundamental students. Focusing on student
disciplines is developed, yet this engagement and converting this
is also a time when students are at into learning can have a signicant
the greatest risk of disengagement impact on student outcomes.
from learning. Student motivation Effective transitions between
and engagement in these years is primary and secondary schools are
critical, and can be inuenced by an important aspect of ensuring
tailoring approaches to teaching, student engagement.
with learning activities and learning
Supporting senior The senior years of schooling should Schools need to provide information,
provide all students with the high- advice and options to students so
years of schooling quality education necessary to that they can make informed choices
and youth transitions complete their secondary school about their future. All governments
education and make the transition and school sectors need to support
to further education, training or young peoples transition from
employment. Schooling should offer schooling into further study, training
a range of pathways to meet the or employment and enable them to
diverse needs and aspirations of acquire the skills that support this,
all young Australians, encouraging including an appetite for lifelong
them to pursue university or post- learning. Support may also be needed
secondary vocational qualications for young people returning to
that increase their opportunities education and training after a period
for rewarding and productive of employment.
employment. This requires effective
partnerships with other education
and training providers, employers
and communities.
Aus
Austrtra
Australian governments commit to working with all school sectors to
su
supp
ppor
supportortt th
thee senior years of schooling and the provision of high-quality
path
pa thwa
ways
pathways ys tto
o fa
ac
facilitate effective transitions between further study,
trai
traini
ning
ng a
training and
nd e emp
mp
employment.
1213 MELBOURNE
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Promoting world-class Curriculum Deep knowledge, understanding,
skills and values that will enable
curriculum and Curriculum will be designed to
advanced learning and an ability to
develop successful learners,
assessment condent and creative individuals
create new ideas and translate them
into practical applications
and active and informed citizens.
The curriculum will enable students
State, Territory and Commonwealth
to develop knowledge in the
governments will work together
disciplines of English, mathematics,
with all school sectors to ensure
science, languages, humanities and
world-class curriculum in Australia.
the arts; to understand the spiritual,
Together the national curriculum
moral and aesthetic dimensions
and curriculum specied at the State,
of life; and open up new ways of
Territory and local levels will enable
thinking. It will also support the
every student to develop:
development of deep knowledge
within a discipline, which provides
A solid foundation in knowledge,
the foundation for inter-disciplinary
understanding, skills and values on
approaches to innovation and
which further learning and adult
life can be built complex problem-solving.
Members The goals were informed by extensive national and Curriculum Corporation as the legal entity for the Ministerial
Ms Margaret Banks, Dr Kevin Gillan, Department of jurisdictional consultation over two stages. Initial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth
Education and Training (Northern Territory) input and feedback based on the Future of Schooling Affairs (MCEETYA) owns the copyright to this publication.
in Australia report helped shape the rst draft of the This publication or any part of it may be used freely only for
Dr Michele Bruniges, Ms Janet Davy, Department of new Declaration, which was then the basis for a second non-prot education purposes provided the source is clearly
Education and Training (Australian Capital Territory) round of targeted consultations and public submissions. All acknowledged. The publication may not be sold or used for
feedback was considered in developing the nal document. any other commercial purpose.
Mr Michael Coutts-Trotter, Department of Education
and Training (New South Wales) The Working Group also drew on a range of international Other than as permitted above or by the Copyright Act
literature and particularly beneted from the United 1968 (Commonwealth) no part of this publication may be
Dr Brian Croke, Mr Ron Dullard, National Catholic
Kingdom Qualications and Curriculum Authoritys reproduced, stored, published, performed, communicated
Education Commission
Futures in action: Building a 21st century curriculum, or adapted, regardless of the form or means (electronic,
Mr Bill Daniels, Independent Schools Council of Australia which informed the drafting of Goal No. 2. photocopying or otherwise), without the prior written
permission of the copyright owner. Address inquiries
Ms Lesley Foster, MCEETYA Secretariat regarding copyright to: