Fed: Literacy and numeracy levels foundation for learning: Govt

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2008
Fed: Literacy and numeracy levels foundation for learning: Govt

CANBERRA, Feb 11 AAP - Literacy and numeracy must be encouraged as early as possible
in life to form the basis of all other learning, federal Education Minister Julia Gillard
says.

A new study by Australian National University economists suggests today's 14-year-olds,
in learning terms, are about three months behind their counterparts from the 1960s.

The researchers suggest the recent focus of creating smaller classes, at the expense
of paying more for better teachers, could be to blame.

Ms Gillard says the government is preparing a national action plan for numeracy and
literacy to address the shortfall.

It will include a national assessment program in which about one million students will be tested.

"We've got to make sure that children leave school literate and numerate," Ms Gillard
told ABC Radio today.

"We've got to make sure that literacy and numeracy is formed as early as possible in
life because it's a foundation stone for all other learning."

Meanwhile, the Australian Education Union says extra money for teachers could play
a role in improving education levels.

"A competitive professional salary to attract and retain the best teachers in our system
is absolutely necessary," federal president Angelo Gavrielatos told ABC Radio.

He said the teacher shortage was becoming more serious right around Australia and improving
pay could attract more talented individuals to the profession.

"I am yet to meet a teacher who enters the classroom with any intention other than
to improve the educational outcome of students."

Report co-author Andrew Lee agrees.

"One possible theory is the spending was misdirected," he told ABC Radio.

"We spent a lot of money getting smaller classes in Australian schools and in the process
we let teachers' salaries stagnate - maybe that was a bad decision in retrospect."

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KEYWORD: STUDENTS GILLARD

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