Australian Teachers Lack Expertise to Discuss Controversial Topics in the Classroom: Expert

Teachers are ill-equipped to tackle controversial issues in the classroom, which has contributed to students’ poor grasp of social and political affairs, according to an associate professor. In March, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters launched an inquiry to look into Australia’s civics education after data showed the current approach wasn’t working. According to the National Assessment Program (NAP-CC), the majority of Australian students have an insufficient understanding of how the political system works, with only 38 percent of Year 10 students achieving a proficient standard in civic education. The result has raised alarms as civic education has been considered a crucial aspect of the curriculum. According to education departments and experts, civic education develops students’ critical thinking abilities and expands their knowledge about political and social issues, which enables them to participate in democracy as informed citizens...