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Education experts say planned changes to the Australian curriculum mandating that students learn about consent and the role of power in relationships for the first time are a positive development but could more explicitly link those themes to sexual relationships and gender-based violence.
Guidance on teaching about respectful relationships, sexuality and consent has been strengthened in the proposed kindergarten to year 10 national health and physical education syllabus, released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority on Thursday.
Chanel Contos has been campaigning for better sex and consent education in school curriculums.,
Credit:Liliana Zaharia
Specific teachings around consent first come in years 7 and 8, where students will now be asked to examine how respect, consent, empathy and valuing diversity can influence the nature of relationships. In year 9 and 10, this is expanded to include the role of power and strategies for challenging
Proposed changes to the Foundation to Year 10 Australian Curriculum were released for public consultation yesterday.
While many of these changes are minor tweaks and refinements, much like a curriculum oil change and tune-up, there are some noteworthy changes in the mix.
They include a more accurate reflection of the historical record of First Nations people’s experience with colonisation, with a commitment to “truth telling”. This means in part recognising Australia’s First Nations peoples viewed Britain’s arrival as an “invasion”.
There is also much stronger emphasis on cultural diversity and inclusion in the Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum.
Newly Proposed Curriculum Faces Harsh Criticism For Removing the History of the Western World and Democracy
The newly proposed changes to the Australian curriculum, which removes references to the nation’s democratic and Christian heritage, have been strongly criticised by experts and educators, with some calling the proposed changes “radical left-wing.”
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) revealed its proposal yesterday to increase the amount of content on culture, history, and perspectives of indigenous Australians throughout the Australian curriculum.
Bella d’Abrera, director of the Institute of Public Affairs’ (IPA) Foundations of Western Civilisation Program, called for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to reject the “radical” new curriculum.
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Education experts say planned changes to the Australian curriculum mandating that students learn about consent and the role of power in relationships for the first time are a positive development but could more explicitly link those themes to sexual relationships and gender-based violence.
Guidance on teaching about respectful relationships, sexuality and consent has been strengthened in the proposed kindergarten to year 10 national health and physical education syllabus, released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority on Thursday.
Chanel Contos has been campaigning for better sex and consent education in school curriculums.,
Credit:Liliana Zaharia
Specific teachings around consent first come in years 7 and 8, where students will now be asked to examine how respect, consent, empathy and valuing diversity can influence the nature of relationships. In year 9 and 10, this is expanded to include the role of power and strategies for challenging