20th MCEETYA Meeting

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Information statement

20th MCEETYA Meeting
Brisbane, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006

Related files

20th MCEETYA Meeting Joint Ministers' Communique (120 kb)

State, Territory and Commonwealth Ministers with responsibility for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, met in Brisbane on 6 and 7 July for the 20th meeting of the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs. The meeting was chaired by the Hon. Rod Welford MP, Minister for Education and the Arts Queensland, who is the Chair of MCEETYA for 2006.

Joint Ministers' Communique

This information is downloadable in PDF version (above)

The following motions were unanimously passed by all members of the Council.

National literacy and numeracy testing

National literacy and numeracy testing for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will begin in 2008, following agreement between the Ministers to work together on the national tests, reporting scales and how the tests will be implemented.

The states and territories will also work with the Federal Government to provide advice to parents, directly and through schools, of their eligibility for the Reading Assistance Voucher program.

Literacy and Numeracy Reform

Agreement was reached on three priority areas for national collaborative action that have the greatest potential to lift literacy and numeracy outcomes across Australia.

The three priority areas are teacher preparation, capacity building and assessment.

The Federal Government, States and Territories will work with the Deans of Education, Teacher Accreditation Authorities and Teaching Australia to ensure that beginning teachers are being adequately prepared with the skills and knowledge to lift literacy and numeracy outcomes.

The Ministers will also request a report on the strategies that build a capacity in teachers, including professional development, to improve student outcomes.

The report will also look at the national assessments being developed for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 to ensure they are strengthened so that progress in proficiency standards can be reported in addition to minimum benchmarks.

National Standards for Year 12 Curriculum and Assessment

The Ministers agreed to continue to work on the feasibility of greater consistency of reporting for senior secondary results.

To ensure consistency of results of senior certificates across the country, a working party will examine if a quality assurance mechanism could be set up.

Indigenous Education

Ministers agreed to improve Indigenous education outcomes by agreeing to a major series of recommendations that encompass the full range of Indigenous education experience, from early childhood to transition to training, employment and higher education.

The recommendations, contained in the paper Australian Directions in Indigenous Education 2005-2008 include:

School-community partnerships in schools with significant Indigenous student populations
Development of professional learning programs for school leaders and teachers to help improve outcomes for Indigenous students
Strategies to retain and attract quality principals and teachers to schools in Indigenous communities

The importance of early childhood education in improving Indigenous children’s “school readiness” and successful participation in primary school was discussed by the Ministers and they agreed to examine the implementation of two years pre-school education for Indigenous children.

The aim of the plan would be that by 2012 all Indigenous children would have access to two years of high quality early childhood education before their first year of formal schooling.

Common School Starting Age

The Ministers agreed to further examine a common minimum school starting age. The financial implications of a common school starting age of 4 years and 6 months will be investigated, together with whether this would have an educational benefit when compared with starting ages currently in place.

English as a Second Language for New Arrivals

The Ministers recognised the importance of English Language Skills in improving workforce participation and the life chances of new migrants. It was agreed that the Australian Government would work with States and Territories to examine how to improve outcomes for New Arrival students.

New higher education protocols

A new set of protocols governing the structure of higher education in Australia was agreed to by the Ministers.

The new protocols will offer a greater degree of flexibility in the way in which institutions are established and recognised. The protocols also introduce a new class of specialist universities.

Signatories to this Statement:

Minister for Education and the Arts (QLD) – The Hon. Rod Welford MP (Chair)
Australian Government Minister for Education, Science and Training – The Hon. Julie Bishop MP
Minister for Education and Training (NSW) – The Hon. Carmel Tebbutt MP
Minister for Education and Training (VIC) – The Hon. Lynne Kosky MP
Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education (SA) – The Hon. Paul Caica MP
Minister for Education and Children’s Services (SA) – The Hon. Dr Jane Lomax-Smith MP
Minister for Education and Training (WA) – The Hon. Ljiljanna Ravlich MLC
Minister for Education (TAS) – The Hon. David Bartlett MHA
Minister for Employment, Education and Training (NT) – The Hon. Syd Stirling MLA
Minister for Education and Training (ACT) – Mr Andrew Barr MLA

For Further information, please contact:

Ms Marnie Stitz
Office of The Hon. Rod Welford MP, Minister for Education and the Arts, QLD
Ph: 07 3237 1000

or

MCEETYA Secretariat
email: enquiries@mceetya.edu.au
Ph: 03 9639 0588