Private schools cane national curriculum

(AAP) Non-government schools say Labor's planned national curriculum will stifle innovation, result in up to 50 per cent of current courses being scrapped and potentially prohibit the teaching of intelligent design in Christian schools.

The federal government wants to make commonwealth funding to private schools
contingent on them signing up to its yet-to-be-developed national curriculum and
disclosing all extra income from private sources.
But the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria says schools shouldn't be
forced to agree to a curriculum they haven't seen.
"Our biggest concern is the uncertainty," association deputy chair Heather Schnagl
told a Senate committee into Labor's Schools Assistance Bill 2008.
"I'm really concerned we'll be throwing out some fantastic programs in so many
independent schools."
Dr Schnagl said up to 50 per cent of some existing curriculums would have to be cut
"to fit in the current ideas of what will be in the national curriculum", and
independent schools could lose their flexibility to design courses for individual
students.
The Australian Council of Christian Schools wants to be able to teach a world view
informed by their faith.
Council executive officer Robert Johnston says he's not worried about what's
included in the national curriculum, but the possibility of some content being
prohibited.
"For example on the classic issue of evolution and creation and some of the issues
associated with the science of design," Mr Johnston said.
"We would argue that there is very strong (evolution) science that at least needs to
be critiqued by the kids.
"The inclusion of those (creation) possibilities liberates them to have a much
broader education."
Family First senator Steve Fielding said there was such uncertainty about the
national curriculum and the proposed financial disclosure rules, references to both
should be removed from the assistance bill - which was needed to secure $28 billion
in funding for private schools over the next four years.
"It's nice to see the detail as you're voting on something and there's some merit in
maybe de-hooking this for a year," said Senator Fielding, who shares the balance of
power in the upper house.
"Get the bill passed without some of these handcuffs.
"De-hook some of these conditions and defer them for a year and pass the legislation
with the funding."
But an education department manager, Carol Nicoll, warns if the bill isn't passed by
the end of this year there'll be no payments to private schools in early 2009.
"Any delay could jeopardise the ability of some schools to open for the new school
year," Dr Nicoll told the committee.
Under questioning she later admitted the department was looking at "interim
arrangements" in case the bill was delayed, but wouldn't give any details.
Department official Susan Smith said concerns that innovation would be stifled and
philosophical approaches banned were wrong.
Education Minister Julia Gillard had made it quite clear there wouldn't be a rigid
line by line approach, she said.
The national curriculum would "allow for sufficient innovation, responses to
localised needs and recognition of established, effective curriculum".
Last week, Ms Gillard said she would ask the National Curriculum Board to advise "on
the most effective method for confirming this recognition of well-established
alternative curriculum frameworks".
The new curriculum is to be introduced in 2011.