National school curriculum and human rights education
A national school curriculum is currently being drafted. It will outline the content that all students in Australia should be taught. This is a unique opportunity to ensure that all young people in Australia learn about their human rights and the rights of others.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is currently consulting on the development of the national curriculum. What’s in the national curriculum?
Why is human rights education in the national curriculum important?
Human rights education in the curriculum would ensure every student in Australia learns about their rights and responsibility to respect the rights of others.
Benefits for students and schools
When education on values like fairness, equality and respect are taught at school there is increased sharing and team work, better self-esteem and relationships, and reduced playground fighting, bullying and discrimination.
Benefits for the community
Human rights education can also help create a more equal, respectful and inclusive society. It can dispel stereotypes, encourage mutual understanding and respect, and foster a human rights respecting culture.
What is the Commission doing?
The Commission is participating in consultations on the draft curriculum and recommending ways in which the human rights content in the curriculum can be strengthened.
The Commission believes that the best way to strengthen human rights in the curriculum is by embedding human rights education as a core and cross-cutting element across all learning areas and at all stages of schooling. This can most effectively be achieved through:
- inclusion of a specific general capability or cross-curriculum priority on human rights and Australian values
- integration of human rights principles and values in the descriptions of relevant existing general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities
- inclusion of relevant human rights issues and examples in each learning area.
Take a look at our Position Paper on human rights education in the national curriculum.
If you would like to contact the Commission, email us at communityengagement@humanrights.gov.au
What’s in the national curriculum?
The Curriculum includes discipline-based knowledge and skills (learning areas) as well as general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities.
The learning areas (disciplines) in the curriculum are: English, mathematics, science, history, languages, geography, the arts, health and physical education, information and communication technology, design and technology, economics, business, and civics and citizenship.
The general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities are integrated into each learning area.
The general capabilities are: literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology competence, critical and creative thinking, ethical behaviour, personal and social competence, intercultural understanding.
The three cross-curriculum priorities are: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, sustainability.
The curriculum identifies the core content that all students in Australia should learn. It does not provide pedagogy for how this content should be delivered. This is the responsibility of each State and Territory.
What stage is the curriculum development at?
The Curriculum is being developed in phases.
8 December 2010
Phase 1 subjects endorsed by all Education Ministers – English, mathematics, science and history. These subjects are currently being trialed in schools around Australia.
July 2011
Consultation on the general capabilities
August 2011
Consultation on the cross-curriculum priorities
2011
Phase 2 subjects – Geography, the Arts and languages – are being drafted and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) will hold consultations on each of these through 2011.
2012
Phase 3 subjects - health and physical education, information and communication technology, design and technology, economics, business, and civics and citizenship – will be developed.
