Results from a test of potential new teachers’ literacy and numeracy skills shows the overwhelmingly majority have the high level of skills we require for them to enter the classroom.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said more than 23,000 teaching students sat the Turnbull Government’s Literacy and Numeracy Test last year to assess whether they had skills in the top 30 per cent of the adult population.
“It’s vital our newest teachers have the right skills to teach and the knowledge to lead by example,” Minister Birmingham said.
“The strong results from the 2017 Test highlight 92 per cent of students passed the literacy component and 92.3 per cent the numeracy component.
“Through this test we’re guaranteeing a high level of basic skills in the next generation of teachers.
“Parents, schools and principals expect that a teacher in the classroom has the right subject knowledge and expertise but also the literacy and numeracy skills to best support students.
“We want to see the best and highest skilled teachers in our schools and this literacy and numeracy test which the Turnbull Government introduced helps provide this assurance.”
Minister Birmingham said whilst the 2017 results were encouraging there was still room for improvement.
“It’s vital teaching graduates have the skills to hit the ground running,” Minister Birmingham said.
“The 2017 test results are slightly lower than the 2016 results, when 95.2 per cent passed the literacy component and 94.2 per cent for the numeracy component but higher than the 2015 pilot when 92 per cent passed the literacy component and 90 per cent passed the numeracy component.
“Higher education providers need to take responsibility for the teacher graduates they accept into their initial teacher education programs.
“It’s critical initial teacher education programs are designed to best prepare students for the demands of teaching and that providers are doing everything possible to help teacher graduates succeed and become effective teachers.”
Minister Birmingham said the Turnbull Government had continued to deliver reforms to boost the quality of teachers in Australia.
“This test complements other reforms flowing from the Coalition’s Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group including new accreditation standards for teacher training courses and a need for training organisations to demonstrate their graduates have the knowledge and experience to be successful educators,” Minister Birmingham said.
“The Review we commissioned from David Gonski and a panel of experts will also ensure schools and teachers are armed with the most effective ways to use the Turnbull Government’s record and growing funding to deliver better outcomes for students.”
Since the Literacy and Numeracy Test began nationally in 2016, it has been delivered to over 37,000 students across 48 higher education institutions throughout Australia.
More information about the test can be found at www.teacheredtest.acer.edu.au
State and territory implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students
| Location of candidate’s Higher Education Provider (HEP) |
Number of HEPs offering ITE courses |
Number of new students sitting the literacy
test in 2017 |
Publicly available information on the test requirement |
| New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory | 19 | 7563 | NSW – From 1 July 2016 all existing and new students must meet the standard prior to graduation, and more specifically, prior to undertaking the final professional experience placement ACT – From 1 January 2017 all students enrolling in an initial teacher education program must meet the test standard prior to course completion and degree conferral |
| Victoria & Tasmania | 13 | 9277 | VIC – From 1 July 2016 all existing and new students must meet the standard prior to graduation and to apply for teacher registration
TAS – From 1 July 2016 new students only must meet the standard prior to graduation |
| Queensland | 10 | 4050 | From 1 January 2018 all existing and new students must meet the standard prior to graduation |
| Western Australia | 6 | 1742 | From 1 January 2017 new students only must meet the standard prior to graduation |
| South Australia & Northern Territory | 5 | 489 | SA – From 1 January 2017 new students only must meet the standard prior to graduation
NT – From 1 January 2017 new students must meet the standard prior to graduation. In addition, from 1 July 2016 the NT Department of Education made it mandatory that a prospective NT government teacher must |