Christopher Pyne pushes for maths or

science to be compulsory for year 11 and 12

students
By Henrietta Cook, education reporter
May 26, 2015, 10:48 a.m.

A maths or science unit would be compulsory in the last years of high school under the
proposal. Photo: Rob Homer
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Maths or science would become compulsory for all year 11 and 12 students under a plan
being pushed by federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne.
It comes as concerns continue to be raised about a declining number of students studying
maths and science during their final years of high school.
Mr Pyne will call for the changes at an Education Council Meeting with state education
ministers on Friday, pointing out that Australia's performance in international testing is
slipping.

Results from the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment tests showed
that Australian students' achievements in maths and science have slumped over the past
decade.
The global report card revealed that Australian students' rankings fell from 15th to 19th in
mathematics and 10th to 16th in science.
The government estimates that up to 75 per cent of the areas with fastest-growing jobs will
require science, technology, engineering or maths skills - otherwise known as STEM skills.
A briefing prepared for the meeting acknowledges there is a significant shortage of STEM
trained teachers, particularly in rural areas.
It also said there was a significant gender disparity in students who participated in STEM in
school, post-secondary education and in the workforce, with females underrepresented.
Studying maths and science is not compulsory for Year 11 and 12 students in Victoria, NSW
and the ACT. Queensland and South Australian students must take one maths subject in their
final years of school.
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The plan from Mr Pyne comes as Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has sought to promote his
own science and maths plan that includes free access to certain university degrees and the
introduction of computer coding in primary and secondary schools.
Chief Scientist Ian Chubb has repeatedly called for better science education in schools.
But in a strategy presented to the government last year, Professor Chubb stopped short of
recommending that science and maths be made compulsory for Year 11 and 12 students,
saying there was "no point" if the subjects weren't attractive.
"In a world utterly reliant on science, most will need at least a reasonable level of scientific
understanding. Our education system ought to provide it to everyone," Professor Chubb
wrote in Fairfax Media opinion piece last week.