A call to arms for Geographers

Our school’s Humanities department recently received this email from the Royal Geographical Society Queensland regarding the fate of Geography in the new Australian National Curriculum.

Dear Friends of Geography

Geography in Australian schools needs your involvement and support.

As most of you are aware, Australia is currently preparing its first national curricula. Those for English, maths, science and history have been drafted. Those for geography, languages and the arts, are being prepared.

It is our understanding that the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA), will consider at its meeting on 15 October a proposal in which geography will be compulsory to Year 8 and an elective in Years 9-10, whereas history will be compulsory to Year 10.

The basis for overturning the previously balanced treatment of history and geography in school curricula has not been explained.

All young Australians need a broad general education to become responsible global and local citizens. They will not get it without studying geography, particularly in Years 9-10 when students have started to develop the maturity to tackle more complex issues.

As the decision will be taken at a political level, we’re asking you to help us inform politicians.

Whether you are a teacher, parent, grandparent, geographer or someone interested in geography (not mutually exclusive), please email or write to your local state and federal MPs and Senators outlining why you think it’s important that geography is compulsory to Year 10. If enough of you write to your local representatives this will get passed on to the relevant state or federal education minister.

See below for links to MPs and if you need a few pointers on what to write.

Thanks for your support for geography.

regards

Kath Berg

Ms Kathryn Berg, Administrator
The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Inc
237 Milton Road, Milton Qld 4064, Australia
Phone: + 61 7 3368 2066
Fax: + 61 7 3367 1011
Email: admin@rgsq.org.au
Website: www.rgsq.org.au