Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his deputy, Julia Gillard, have promoted the proposed national curriculum for schools during a visit to a Canberra school.

Speaking at Amaroo School, Rudd said the national curriculum was “a key pre-election commitment”. Australia would have a national curriculum for the first time in 2011. “This is in English, it’s in maths, it’s in science, it’s in history, and what we’re on about is making sure the absolute basics of knowledge, the absolute basics of education, are taught right across the country.”

As Education minister, Gillard said: “Curriculum has often been a mystery, a mystery for parents, for employers, they didn’t know what was being taught in Australian classrooms. We’re taking a very different approach. It’s there on the web for all to see and for all to comment upon.” [Read more…]