Melbourne Declaration under review

The Education Council is currently inviting public submissions to inform the Review of the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians, welcoming responses and feedback from interested stakeholders about their aspiration for the next national Declaration.

The 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians set two educational goals for Australia to achieve in the ten years to 2018.

1. Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence

     2) All young Australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens

At the time the Melbourne Declaration was released, Australian education ministers committed to taking action to achieve educational goals for all young Australians, and to do so in partnership with all Australian governments, all educational sectors (including early childhood education and care), individual settings, parents, children, young people, families, communities and businesses.

While the Melbourne Declaration is focused primarily on school education, it “acknowledges the impact of early childhood education on school outcomes, as well as the need for successful transitions to further study and work”.

The Melbourne Declaration has provided the backdrop for significant national reform over the last decade. Some of the achievements during this period have included the introduction of:  

• the Australian Curriculum  
• the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care  
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
• Australian Professional Standard for Principals.

Since 2008, there has been “significant” reform of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia, leading to greater integration of these services; increases in participation in early childhood education in the year before school; and, improvements in the quality of early learning services.

More recently, in line with international experience, there is an emerging trend in Australia towards expanding the provision of early childhood education to children for two years before school.

On 14 December 2018, the Education Council Ministers agreed to undertake a review of the Melbourne Declaration, and hold an initial Forum in February 2019, to consult and collaborate with key stakeholders and experts. Following the forum, a discussion paper was released.

The Education Council is inviting public submissions to inform the Review of the Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians, welcoming responses and feedback from interested stakeholders.

Stakeholders are invited to respond to the discussion paper by providing an online submission or uploading a more detailed submission.

For alternate ways to provide a submission please email [email protected]

Please note that, unless confidentiality is requested, the views expressed in an online submission or uploaded submission may be published in part or in full and will be subject to Freedom of Information laws.

Submissions close at midnight on Friday 14 June 2019.

Submissions received in response to this discussion paper, and feedback from future consultations, will be considered by Education Council with a refreshed Declaration expected to be published late 2019.