Industry-Innovation-and-Competitiveness-Agenda

Further proposals
Proposal 9: Increasing the focus on science, technology, engineering, mathematics
and innovation in schools
As part of the Competitiveness Agenda, the Government is providing additional support to
foster school students’ interest and competency in STEM. This will better equip students
with job-relevant skills.
Supplementing support for maths, science and computing in schools
The Chief Scientist has identified a critical need for learning resources that will engage
students in mathematics, particularly to expand the pipeline of students taking advanced
mathematics in senior school years.
The Government will therefore provide $7.4 million to assist to develop and implement
‘Mathematics by inquiry’. These maths-in-schools programmes for primary and secondary
school students will deliver innovative and engaging teaching and learning resources to
support implementation of the Australian Curriculum.
Building on these maths education programmes, the Government will provide a further
$3.5 million to encourage the introduction of computer coding across different year levels in
Australian schools. ‘Coding across the curriculum’ will contribute to addressing Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) industry feedback which consistently emphasises a
looming acute shortage of computer programming skills.
It is anticipated that a consortia of organisations with appropriate professional capacity
and technical expertise will be contracted through tender processes to deliver these
programmes.
The Government will also encourage greater student participation in summer schools for
STEM students, particularly for girls, disadvantaged and Indigenous students, including
those living in regional and remote areas. This programme is designed to provide students
with unique experiences in science and mathematics, stimulating their passion for these
learning areas. The Government will provide $600,000 to support travel and accommodation
for participants, building on existing national summer schools for STEM.
Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda
In
Co
Trialling a new, innovative pathway from education to work
To help develop the next generation of Australian innovators and job-ready graduates, the
Government will trial the establishment of an innovative approach to education, having
regard to the United States’ Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
model.
TPO00007
The Reform Agenda: Ambition 2
51