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No show
Sydney teachers walk out ahead of Premier ’ s visit .
High school teachers from Sydney ’ s north-west walked off the job on April 27 ahead
Teachers assemble outside Marsden High in Sydney . Photo : Supplied
of a visit from NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet .
Around 40 teachers from Marsden High School congregated outside of school grounds carrying protest signs .
Teachers staged the mini strike just moments before the NSW Premier was due to tour the school , a day before students were set to return .
Speaking to reporters , Perrottet denied he had witnessed any anger from educators during his Wednesday visit to Meadowbank ’ s educational precinct .
He said that the government was negotiating with teachers about pay rises before the election .
“ We are working through those issues with the unions , right across the board ,” he said .
The walk off came after NSW public school teachers unanimously voted to strike for 24 hours on Wednesday May 4 .
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell told the press she was “ incredibly disappointed ” that teachers had taken action during the first weeks of term .
“ We need to be dealing with these industrial matters in the IRC [ Industrial Relations Committee ], and not having students and families and parents at the centre of this ,” Mitchell told Sky News . ■
Back to basics
New curriculum begins in term two .
After an almost year-long debate , state and federal education ministers signed off on the revised national curriculum , set to come into force from the start of Term 2 .
Acting federal education minister Stuart Robert announced the states ’ endorsement following a standoff over revisions in the history syllabus .
Key changes include a 21 per cent reduction in class content descriptors and a stronger focus on phonics in English classes .
Primary school students will perform more maths without calculators in an effort to bring the country ’ s maths average “ in line with international counterparts ”.
“ The Australian Curriculum now sets a higher standard for educational achievement in Australia going forward ,” Robert said .
“ It has been decluttered , allowing teachers to focus on what matters most .”
Australian history will be made compulsory for students in Year 9 and 10 , with a focus on postcolonisation , WW1 and WW2 , and post-war migration .
States including Victoria have refused to integrate the history changes , saying they will dilute Indigenous histories and perspectives .
“ We still won ’ t accept the Commonwealth ’ s proposed dumbing down of our history curriculum ,” Victorian Premier James Merlino told SMH .
Indigenous histories will be made mandatory for students in Year 7 , with a specific focus on Deep Time .
Mental health content is also expected to be finalised by the end of this year .
In a last-minute amendment , states agreed to an “ adopt and adapt ” principle , which will allow states such as Victoria , NSW and WA to select parts of the changes to fit into their own syllabuses . ■
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