National Curriculum Advocacy

The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation Inc (ACHPER) has welcomed the announcement of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) to include Health and Physical Education in the National Curriculum. The decision comes in response to a strong recommendation by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
National Executive Director, Jeff Emmel said that “both ACARA and MCEECDYA should be commended for their willingness to review the current development plan and cover all eight learning areas listed in the Melbourne Declaration of December 2008”.

“This announcement is a timely boost for our profession and ACHPER with its strong network of branches in the states and territories will be available to assist ACARA in the challenging process ahead. Educators and parents will be happy with this decision”.
Emmel said that “while the process of admission to the national curriculum development ‘club’ had been less than satisfactory it was evident that real attempts were now being made to provide for a more coherent and cohesive national curriculum. We are delighted that MCEECDYA has agreed to the curriculum entitlement that we have been advocating for some time”:

1”The prioritisation of Health and Physical Education (HPE) within Phase three of the curriculum development plan”;
2. “The inclusion of HPE as a core learning requirement for all students in each year from K–10”;
3. “Maximising within the overall package of required school learning the number of school hours that students participate in quality physical education and sport”.

Emmel thanked those kindred organisations and individuals who had continued to advocate for the inclusion of Health and Physical Education. He suspected that the National Health Preventative Task Force Recommendations had been influential but emphasised that ‘the growing evidence around active and healthy living as a stimulus for learning in the classroom generally would be an important part of HPE curriculum development”.

For Further Information /Interview
Contact
Jeff Emmel
National Executive Director
Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation Inc