Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge says he is concerned about some of the proposed changes to the national curriculum.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
“Equally,that should not come at the expense of dishonouring our Western heritage,which has made us the liberal democracy that we are today. We have to get the balance right and I’m concerned that we haven’t in the draft that’s been put out.”
Under the proposed changes,unveiled by the national curriculum authority on Thursday,children will be taught that First Nations’ people experienced British colonisation “as invasion and dispossession of land,sea and sky”. References to Australia’s “Christian heritage” were also removed out of the civics and citizenship syllabus in favour of terms such as secular and multi-faith.
Mr Tudge,along with the state and territory education ministers,is required to sign off on the final curriculum,which is expected to be ready by the end of the year after 10 weeks of public consultation.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke,a committed Christian,also weighed in,saying the curriculum must “continue to teach our culture,history and values”,saying Australia’s Judeo-Christian and Western values were “fundamental to our society’s ongoing success”.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said it was important for students to learn about Australia’s Indigenous heritage but would not be drawn on the specific proposals.
“It is important that all Australian students are provided the opportunity to learn about the depth,wealth and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 65,000-year-old history and cultures and we want to ensure teachers are appropriately supported to embed Indigenous Australian perspectives in this their classroom practice,” Mr Wyatt said.