It has been touted as the "biggest shake-up" to the school curriculum in three decades, but the Riverina teachers have warned the state's education plans will fail unless there is a dramatic increase to the region's resources.
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By 2024, the NSW government has announced, it will be overhauling classrooms to de-clutter the curriculum and return the overall focus to the core maths, English and science studies.
The state government has also indicated its intentions to tailor the learning experience for individuals rather than focusing on group results.
NSW Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell explained on Tuesday that all changes will be done through consultation with teachers, and will be aimed at future-proofing the education system.
We have listened to the experts when formulating the government response to the curriculum review and I am confident that the changes we will implement will ensure that NSW remains one of the best places to educate our children for decades to come," Ms Mitchell said.
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But the approach has been criticised by the NSW Teachers Federation who say they are under-resourced to manage such a large undertaking.
"This can be done if there's resources put in," said John Pratt, Riverina representative for the NSW Teachers Federation.
"We need to bring the Riverina's resources to 100 per cent because this approach demands individual attention. When you've got 30 kids in a class and only one teacher, you can't give that individual attention."
To begin preparing for the curriculum overhaul, Mr Pratt said he is looking to see class sizes change entirely.
"As a starting point, we need smaller classes, more teachers and more teachers aids. We need more adults in the room to cater for all the needs of the students," he said.
While focused primarily on the lower years of school, the state's curriculum shake-up will also include a few changes for the senior levels.
"Year 12 will be the first year to notice the changes, and then the younger years will be dealing with the big changes over the next two years," Mr Pratt said.
Up to 20 per cent of HSC courses may be scrapped with an intention to provide students with more vocational training.
Among the classes that will be on the chopping block are media industry studies, tourism studies, puppetry, circus skills, wearable arts, leather work and drone basics.
While the de-cluttering of the classroom has been welcomed by the Teachers Federation, Mr Pratt has questioned the framing of the state's announcement.
"We're talking about putting maths, English and science back in but we've never lost those," he said.
"The 'back to basics' narrative is a hollow narrative, whistling up a storm that was never there. You don't get a good mark in the HSC without a deep knowledge of those subjects. You never have."
Mr Pratt explained his concerns that the state's program would re-iterate the federal announcement last week that suggested tertiary level STEM-based courses are of greater value to society than the liberal arts.
"Last week, the federal narrative was that the humanities were not needed, but it's in the humanities that you develop flexible thinking and that's what businesses need," he said.
"When your talking about vocational training, you're talking about what's needed now, but we want our schools to be setting students up to learn and exercise the mind to be future leaders."
The allotted 4-year turnaround for the curriculum review has also raised eyebrows with at the Teachers Federation and with the Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU).
"Four years feels like a long time to be doing all of this, but it's not when you consider the strategies that need to be employed and the training it will demand.
"Some schools will need to change their entire delivery."
IEU assistant secretary for NSW and ACT Pam Smith indicated a belief that the tight turnaround would result in rushed changes.
"What the government has asked NESA, schools and teachers to do with this review - the first in 30 years - is unrealistic," Ms Smith said.
"It is a decision with significant workload, staffing and organisational implications for schools."
The ambitious timeline is intended to help students realise the benefits of the shake-up as quickly as possible.
"But syllabus development needs to be done in a planned, structured and informed fashion, with extensive input from teachers," Ms Smith said.
"Teachers need to be supported to develop new syllabuses and implement changes."