Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Canberra school children will not attend school on 28 November 2018 and instead attend Parliament House to protest the 'climate emergency', reportedly with the consent of the ACT Education Directorate,

(ii) the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), that compares OECD student achievement data, showed a significant decline in reading literacy in the ACT and declines in Mathematical and Scientific literacy in the ACT,

(iii) in March 2018, UNICEF declared that the proportion of Australian children achieving at least minimum proficiency in reading or mathematics by 2030 will not be met, and

(iv) in June 2017, UNICEF also found Australia to be 39th out of 41 high and middle income countries achieving a quality education; and

(b) calls upon the Minister for Education, the ACT Government, the ACT Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Education Directorate and school parents, and Education Ministers across the country to prioritise and encourage school attendance to address literacy and numeracy emergencies.