Education

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-109642

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Education

Dr GEOFF LEE (ParramattaMinister for Skills and Tertiary Education) (16:58):

—:14 I move:

That this House:

(1)Acknowledges the Government's commitment to improve numeracy as part of our "back to basics" approach to education.

(2)Welcomes the Government's commitment to making maths compulsory for all students from kindergarten to year 12.

(3)Welcomes the Government's additional commitments to:

(a)recruit 100 specialist primary school maths teachers over five years;

(b)offer 320 scholarships valued at $50,000 each for the STEM undergraduates and career changers to fund a master's degree; and

(c)work with universities to encourage students to take high-level HSC maths courses.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order! The member will be heard in silence.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

I also acknowledge the great work done by Professor Geoff Masters on the New South Wales curriculum review. As appropriate, I met with Professor Masters. He seems to have a wonderful grasp of the difficulties, challenges and opportunities of how best to look at the curriculum and declutter it, and look at innovative ways that we can deliver high standards in not only maths but also literacy to ensure that we give our younger students all the opportunities that we possibly can at school. Members opposite will continue with the rabble; I am sure they will have their own views. On the Government side of the House, we support our young people, students and schools with real action.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The member for Londonderry will have an opportunity to contribute to the debate.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

Members opposite are making a lot of noise. It is very disappointing that they do not support our schools.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The Leader of the Opposition will come to order.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

In the interim report released last year, Professor Masters highlighted the importance of foundational skills in literacy and numeracy. Improving students' numeracy skills is a core priority for the Government. We know that those skills are crucial in the thriving world that is increasingly mechanised and digitised. No-one can argue that maths is not important for work and life. We all know that financial literacy enables many people to get ahead in life, whether it is adding up one's bank account, looking at financial charges, or understanding the contract on a mobile phone or the terms and conditions of a credit card. We know that numeracy and financial literacy is important for everyday life and being successful. That is why we believe maths in schools and the focus on numeracy are so important. That is why we are moving towards making maths compulsory in years 11 and 12.

We are living through a technological revolution. As our world becomes more data rich and technology enhanced, all students must be prepared. They need sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to fully participate in further education, training and work. In fact, quite often employer groups lament the difficulties in attracting trainees and apprentices who have the requisite maths skills for things such as the construction industry so that, for example, they can work out the complex problems of carpentry. That is why maths is so important in our curriculum and why the Government is making maths compulsory in years 11 and 12. We have listened to the industry and experts and that is what we are delivering: decluttering the curriculum to focus on important things, including numeracy. We want every student to leave year 12 with the understanding of mathematical concepts that are needed to thrive in a technology-driven, competitive, globalised workforce. I am well aware of the need for more maths teachers. The Government is ramping up its efforts to attract more people into that career pathway.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order!

Dr GEOFF LEE:

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Ms Prue Car:

He's putting us to sleep.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

You can leave the Chamber if you wish.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

Well said, Madam Deputy Speaker. As part of our maths strategy that we launched in October last year, we are funding 320 scholarships valued at $50,000 each for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] undergraduates and career changers. The scholarships go towards a Master of Teaching degree to increase the number of specialist secondary mathematics teaches. We have a cultural change plan to improve the perception of mathematics in the broader community through maths ambassadors. We also have a suite of capability-building projects for teachers, which include a mathematics growth team headed by Eddie Woo. I send a big thanks to Eddie. What a fantastic and inspirational role model he is as a maths teacher. He is also a great bloke. The team is working with a number of schools to support improvements in teaching and learning, and a new mathematics-based HSC course for students who traditionally have not chosen to study mathematics. The pilot course is focused on numeracy and practical applications in everyday life.

As I said, those financial literacy skills are important for people's future. We know that they can have a multiplier effect throughout their lifetime. The 2019 pilot has been extended for 2020 and additional schools have been included. Work is underway on the development of a centralised platform where schools and teachers can easily access the best teaching resources, software products and professional learning. The Government is working in consultation with universities to improve initial teaching training for primary teachers in relation to the teaching of mathematics. I acknowledge and thank the Premier as well as the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, in the other place, for their commitment to excellence in education. I was also very pleased to be joined in my electorate last week by the Premier and Minister Mitchell for the official opening of Arthur Phillip High School in the heart of Parramatta. Arthur Phillip High School is an example of New South Wales' world-class education system and it will serve the community for many generations.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order! The member for Londonderry will remain silent.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

We support mathematics for all students in years 11 and 12, and that is why this motion is important. I commend the motion to the House.

Ms PRUE CAR (Londonderry) (17:05):

:32 I am very pleased to speak to this motion after that particularly riveting contribution by the Minister, but I have to say that the Opposition disagrees with the premise of the motion that the Government has brought to the House this afternoon because after nine years of the Liberal Party and The Nationals in government in New South Wales we are at this most unfortunate place. After nine years of mismanagement of the education system—nine years—we are at a place where New South Wales is not number one anymore. It is not number one in English, it is not number one in science and it most definitely is not number one in maths. In fact, relative to other Australian States, between 2012 and 2018—let us remember who was in government during that time—New South Wales students have dropped from fourth to sixth in reading, dropped from third to fifth in science and dropped from third to fifth in maths. This is all under this Government's watch.

Let us look at one of the most embarrassing set of statistics that has been much talked about in the public space in the past few months, that is, the recent program for international student assessment results from late last year. What they show is that only just over half of New South Wales students can demonstrate elementary skills in maths. It is not acceptable that only just over half of New South Wales students can demonstrate elementary skills in maths. For the first time since the assessment began, 16 countries that previously performed worse than Australia have either outperformed us or are now on par. That means we have been overtaken by the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Latvia and Iceland. Above us are Estonia, Slovenia, Latvia and Portugal. So we are going really well! We are doing really well under this Government's watch.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

I remind the member for Rockdale that he is on two calls to order.

Ms PRUE CAR:

Worse still, this is supposed to be one of the Premier's personal priorities, but she and this Government are absolutely failing the next generation if this is what their priorities mean.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The member for Clarence will remain silent.

Ms PRUE CAR:

The PISA [Programme for International Student Assessment] results show us going backwards, further and further. Our results are falling through the floor. It is simply embarrassing. We see this at an unprecedented time of population growth, when schools are under more pressure than ever before, teachers are under more pressure than ever before, and the plan is to include compulsory maths. I wish the Minister responsible were here, not the substitute Minister, so we could ask her exactly how this is going to happen. How is this going to happen when there is such a shortage of maths teachers? In fact, almost one in 10 students will never be taught maths by a qualified maths teacher.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order!

Ms PRUE CAR:

What is happening in New South Wales is that this Government is putting more and more pressure on teachers at a time when they are under unprecedented levels of pressure in the classroom, making non-maths teachers teach maths, now making it compulsory, but not hiring enough maths teachers to make those subjects even conceivable in the classroom. This is not a government with a plan, this is a panicked government. This is a panicked government that has let these standards fall to embarrassing levels—they have plummeted on this Government's watch. The Premier might like to talk about education being her legacy, and I would agree with that: Education will be her legacy. Her legacy will be a generation of children who are not prepared for a changing world, a world of automation—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order! The member for Oatley will have an opportunity to contribute to the debate.

Ms PRUE CAR:

A world where the economy will look nothing like it does at the moment. This generation of children will not be prepared because this Government has left standards to rot under its watch. It has let standards plummet to embarrassing levels and it has nothing but thought bubbles to show for it.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order!

Ms PRUE CAR:Time expired.

This Government's legacy will be the worst-performing student results in New South Wales for 20 years at a time when we should be coming up with every way to support a growing State and not let our State's children fall behind the rest of the world. []

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

Order! I call the member for Londonderry to order for the second time. I am waiting for silence in the Chamber. I call the member for Oatley, who will be heard in silence.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:11):

:29 When it comes to tackling the issue of improving the standard of our children's education, we are taking a back-to-basics approach. This is a Government that is focusing on the simple solutions that have proven results. Part of our commitment to this philosophy is making maths compulsory for all students, from kindergarten to year 2. Like the member for Cessnock and many on this side of the House, we are excited by that prospect. Maths is about so much more than just formulas and equations. Numeracy is an exercise for the brain; it strengthens our analytical skills, and forces us to think in a way that challenges and expands our minds. Maths is about problem-solving, an important skill for whatever field the students of New South Wales choose to enter. It facilitates creativity and uses parts of the brain that are not otherwise used. As a State and a society, maths has given us so much. Many of humanity's major developments, including air travel, telecommunications and the internet, are thanks to numeracy. I have witnessed firsthand that maths can be exciting and ignite a passion in some students.

Mr Alister Henskens:

How often?

Mr MARK COURE:

Many times. My son, James, has just started year 1 at Mortdale Public School and he loves maths. My wife, Adla, who is a schoolteacher, and I encourage that passion in James because we know that it is so beneficial for his development and has helped his performance in other subjects. That is why this is so personal to me. Every school student in New South Wales deserves the opportunity to experience the rewards of mathematics, and that is why we are making maths compulsory and supporting its growth in schools. I, like Minister Lee, welcome the Government's recent additional commitments to, firstly, recruit 100 specialist primary school maths teachers over the next five years; secondly, offer 320 scholarships, each valued at $50,000, for science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] undergraduates and career changers to fund a master's degree; and, thirdly, work with universities to encourage students to take higher level HSC maths.

Of course, there is more, and we are already doing a lot more. This is a government that is delivering an education spend of $6.7 billion over the next four years to deliver 190 new and upgraded schools across New South Wales, including $1.3 billion for maintenance over the next few years. I know you all want to hear what Labor's track record is on education. In my own electorate its track record is pure and simple: the former Labor Government closed Narwee High School. What other schools were closed?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The member for Oatley will direct his comments through the Chair.

Mr MARK COURE:

When the Government rolls out a new program the electorate of Oatley—my electorate—will never miss out. As part of the Government's back‑to‑basics approach for education across the State many of our local schools have benefited and will continue to benefit. Mortdale Public School—James' school—has employed additional staff to support students with special needs. That is not limited to maths; it includes speech therapists, coaches for teachers and additional staff who teach English. At Beverly Hills Girls High School—in the electorate of the member for Lakemba, but we share it—New South Wales government funding has allowed for extended library opening hours for an extra six hours a week.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

I call the member for Murray to order for the first time.

Mr MARK COURE:

Students have access to teachers, the internet and other information and communications technology [ICT] facilities that may otherwise be limited by socio-economic factors. There is also greater focus on Indigenous students, students with a disability and students who do not speak English as a first language. Narwee Public School has used funding to implement targeted learning intentions and success criteria in literacy and numeracy. This is critical for keeping students and teachers accountable and responsible and for ensuring that the standard of education is the best it can be. It is truly great to see our local schools supporting the Government's back‑to‑basics approach. As I said, mathematics is fundamental to a holistic and well-rounded education. The New South Wales Government has a clear plan for education and I am proud to be part of it. I commend the motion to the House.

Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (17:16):

:45 As an ex-teacher yourself, Madam Deputy Speaker, I know that this public interest debate is very close to your heart and I would like to set the record straight. Education of the next generation is all about giving them the best start possible. But we have a government that is saying we will go back to basics. What about future focus for the kids of New South Wales? The Minister for skills and his colleagues are patting themselves on the back for a job well done. I say it is too little too late. As the shadow Minister for Education has pointed out, for nine years this Government has managed our State's education system and we have continued to see results go backwards against other States and internationally.

The Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA] results from 2019 are embarrassing. They show that only 52 per cent of New South Wales students can demonstrate "more than elementary skills" in maths. It is about time we took some action. Australia has fallen to the OECD average for the first time. Sixteen countries that we used to beat in these rankings are now out-performing us or are now on par. Three-quarters of year 7 to year 10 students were taught maths for at least one year by a teacher not trained in the subject. In New South Wales the number of teachers with a glamorous physical education [PE] degree teaching our kids maths—and that is no criticism of PE teachers—indicates that if we see these results we need to see an investment in maths teachers.

We also need to continue to look at the gender gap in maths performance, which has been going backwards since 2015, and get more girls into science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] learning. I remember the sticker on my science teacher's desk that said "Girls can do anything", and I think that travels with me to this day. What are we doing now to encourage more girls into STEM learning so that even the highest-performing students do not have recorded "worrying levels of decline"? In our schools, results are falling, schools are overcrowded and teachers are under more and more pressure. New South Wales students have dropped from fourth to sixth in reading. Where is a policy from this Government about improving reading? Reading is an absolutely crucial part of the future of our students in this State. New South Wales students have dropped in science and maths. This is the education legacy of this Government.

The Premier suggests that she will take the programs developed by teachers who achieve excellent results and roll out their teaching methods for other teachers across New South Wales. I do not think the Premier has got any idea how that hurts teachers across my electorate. To take the good results and the programs by good teachers and roll them out in low socio-economic areas with completely different needs is a stab in the heart to the teachers in my electorate. The Premier should have a good look at how she is talking about education in New South Wales. Teachers across New South Wales are so busy trying to fill in their paperwork, to record the tedium and to justify their existence that they barely have time to actually plan quality lessons. The member for Wyong's wife is a primary school teacher and she is up until midnight filling in the forms and doing the compliance for kids in her classroom.

Mr Alister Henskens:

Every night?

Ms LIESL TESCH:

Every single night.

Mr Alister Henskens:

Up until midnight?

Ms LIESL TESCH:

Absolutely. And maybe some of you should not look surprised. You should go and talk to teachers.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The member for Gosford will direct her comments through the Chair.

Ms LIESL TESCH:

Maybe when you are out there talking to teachers you might listen to the fact that new teachers are being ripped off tens of thousands of dollars under a policy developed by your Government. They are earning $30,000 less than their colleagues who entered teaching prior to this policy. Educators who have been moved out of TAFE because of the changes and the structural loss and have now moved into school teaching cannot get their prior training in TAFE as permanent and casual teachers aligned or recognised so that they get the qualifications they need to go into teaching. And what happens? Teachers leave the profession. It is devastating.

I am not just talking about older, experienced teachers who do not have the time to support the young staff; I am talking specifically about teachers with less than five years' experience who put up their hand to be teachers in this State, to go into that workforce, and do not continue in the workforce. We need to seriously look at how we can improve the lives of teachers and the quality of education beyond this deep commitment that the Government is offering. Making maths compulsory is good, but let us look further into how we can look after teachers for the length of their career in the New South Wales workforce. They are an incredible workforce and are to be commended. Hear, hear for teachers!

Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra) (17:21):

:57 I commend the member for Parramatta for moving this motion. Education is the one thing that can be given but never taken away. It is a suit of armour we wrap around our students before sending them out into the world. As a government we must constantly strive to ensure that we are equipping our students with the skills they need for the workforce and the world they will be entering. The decision to go back to basics with education is significant. The importance of mathematics is not lost on me, as the wife of a maths teacher who is also a physical education [PE] teacher. I understand the passion of our educators and the challenges they have faced in improving results and, above all, in inspiring passion in their students for the subject of mathematics.

I welcome the Government's moves to improve numeracy around the State. The new mathematics-based HSC course, which focuses on the practical applications of numeracy in everyday life, is helping students understand the importance of maths skills in the modern world. Not every student is set to be a programmer, a PhD candidate or an engineer, but the benefits of maths in understanding budgeting, tax and shopping is something everyone can use. Rather than expecting primary school teachers to be "jack of all trades", the Government is committing to recruit specialist maths teachers in our primary schools. This change will ensure people with specialist interests pass on their passion for maths to our younger students, and it reinforces the importance of mathematics as a fundamental life skill.

For too long we have viewed maths as something serious and calculated—pardon the pun—but Eddie Woo has shown us that maths can be fun, engaging and taught in a way that shows off its practical applications in everyday life. The Mathematics Growth team headed by Mr Woo is a revelation in transforming how both students and staff view the subject. Utilising his passion will be a huge benefit to our schools no matter where they are in the State. Maths is a universal language and as a result it can be utilised in all walks of life and across a range of professions. It could be argued that it is more fundamental in a globalised world than English, which has been compulsory for all HSC students for years. It is common sense to make maths compulsory for all students. The nature of the subject means it can also be learnt and understood at the highest level in any part of the State, be it in an inner-city school or a remote connected classroom in the most isolated reaches of the State.

There is already strong proof of this with many rural and regional students making the high achievers list in last year's HSC results. More than five and a half hours' drive away from this Chamber is Barellan Central School. In any given year this school boasts a student body of around 130 students spanning from kindergarten to year 12. Despite their relative isolation and the challenge of offering a wide variety of courses to their small student body for the 2019 HSC, Barellan Central School gained a band 6 in mathematics last year.

At Cowra High School, a school in a town of fewer than 10,000 people, an E4 was won by a student for Mathematics Extension 1. These results are not accidental. Rural and regional schools are making the most of the technology available to them and helping their students tap into the pool of online resources which are available and set to expand. Building on this, the Government is developing a centralised platform where schools and teachers can easily access the best teaching resources, software and professional learning. Opportunity should never be limited by postcode and this will mean teachers in rural, regional and remote areas have access to many of the same professional development opportunities as those in metropolitan areas. I commend the Government for its maths in schools initiative and I commend the motion to the House.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields) (17:26):

:55 I welcome this debate to talk about and analyse the report card of this tired and worn-out Liberal-Nationals Government. You would think that, being the Government's day to introduce the public interest debate [PID], it would choose a topic that would rank highly in its favour. Of course, that would be somewhat logical. Just because Government members have read some numbers from this morning's talking points does not mean they actually understand them. It does not mean it will happen or they will solve the problems after nine long years. There are few more important tasks for a State Government than resourcing our public schools, but on every measure and against every matrix, the Government has failed students and parents. Today's public interest debate about compulsory mathematics, additional teachers and mathematics scholarships simply highlights the Government's woeful track record. The numbers do not add up.

The Government has dropped the ball and is desperately trying to pick it up again. From this year, students in New South Wales will have to meet minimum standards of literacy and numeracy to attain their HSC. The Government is only now announcing new maths teachers. It has set minimum standards but has failed to provide the support students need to reach these minimum standards—talk about putting the cart before the horse. We all know why the Government has moved this PID today. It has been reeling from the recent Program for International Student Assessment [PISA] scores. These results were damning and the numbers tell the exact truth of how the Liberal-Nationals Government has put our students into the negative zone when it comes to education.

Let us go through some numbers. First, maths results in New South Wales fell to 489 points in 2018 from 494 in 2015. Second, New South Wales is nationally in fifth position behind Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, which are all Labor Governments I might add—I have never heard of a ranking numerical system where you claim to go forwards by falling backwards but under this Liberal‑Nationals Government any number in the system is possible. Third, only 55 per cent of New South Wales students have attained the national proficient standard in mathematics. So much for being the No. 1 premier State.

We can talk about and tout a back‑to‑basics curriculum, but this is a government that cannot even get the basic numbers on its financial budget right. Because of this failure, it is our students and their future that miss out. If the Government wants to talk about numbers today, let us talk about them: (1) the $1.3 billion blowout to light rail; (2) the $6 billion budget blowout on WestConnex; (3) the $225 million Parramatta high rise blowout; (4) the $100 million on the football stadium; (5) the $1.5 billion on the unnecessary relocation of the Powerhouse Museum—the list goes on. If you want to talk about compulsory mathematics, it is not our kids and our teachers but those opposite who need to go back to compulsory mathematics. Frankly, the Government's report card grade is a big fat "F". One can only imagine how many extra resources and how much better off our students would be if the Government had got its financial mathematics right and had managed the books right.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

I call the member for Murray to order for the second time.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG:

Our good friends in the Labor Government in Victoria spend nearly $5 billion more on education. It is no wonder that under a Labor Government mathematics is No. 1 in Victorian schools. Are we supposed to believe that just because the Government makes a couple of talking points in its public interest debate that it is magically going to resolve the chronic underfunding of our schools? Just because those Government members say it, that does not mean it is true. Where is it going to come from? When will they be available? Where will they be trained? What schools will they be allocated to? Will the students see the benefits in this decade or the next decade? I reckon my daughter will be at university by the time we see this. There are several aspects of this PID that do not add up. The truth is that the Government has had nine years to address the chronic shortage of maths teachers in New South Wales. It has had nine years to improve results and resources in our schools. After nine years it has failed and it will be failing for as long as we can say.

Dr GEOFF LEE (ParramattaMinister for Skills and Tertiary Education) (17:32):

—:15 In reply: I thank the members for their contributions to the public interest debate. This important motion sets out to acknowledge the Government's contribution and commitment to a back‑to‑basics approach to education, to making sure that maths is compulsory for all students from kindergarten to year 12 and to the whole range of activities that it is doing, such as the specialist primary school maths teachers, scholarships and working with universities to encourage more students to take up high-level HSC courses. It is surprising that there is a different tale on the opposite side of the House. The member for Londonderry got up and started politicising. It is very sad that she politicised this. I want to confirm that this Premier will go down as having made education her legacy. On a personal note, I hope my legacy goes down as committed to building skills and training in the State.

The House heard from the member for Oatley, Mark Coure. He agrees with the back‑to‑basics approach. He clearly understands the need for numeracy in the cognitive development of young people, especially in problem-solving and lifelong skills. It is especially important for individuals. He reiterated that maths can be an exciting subject. The member for Oatley is very excited by maths. The member for Gosford tried to politicise it. Let me correct the record that on this side of the House we support physical education [PE] teachers, unlike those opposite who do not like PE teachers. We do agree that we should encourage more girls to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] careers.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

I call the member for Londonderry to order for the third time.

Dr GEOFF LEE:

The member for Cootamundra's words were very elegant—married to a maths and physical education teacher. Obviously on this side we support both maths and physical education teachers. I thank the member for Cootamundra for her outstanding description. Our role is to have inspirational teachers inspiring our young students to do their best. It is about passion and imparting that passion. We congratulate Eddie Woo on his contribution to our great State. The member for Macquarie Fields was very interesting. The Government is committed to going back to the basics and is committed to making maths compulsory for students from kindergarten to year 12. I commend the motion to the House.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes49

Noes32

Majority17

Motion agreed to.

The SPEAKER:

I thank all those involved in the development of the division application, which has now been implemented successfully, and the consultation process. I am pleased to say we have now moved into the new century.