Early Years Learning Framework

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:26): My question is to the Minister for Education, Training and Skills. Is the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta has the call.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I shall wait until they are done. My question is to the Minister for Education, Training and Skills. Is the minister familiar with the detail of the recently updated Early Years Learning Framework, and does it place appropriate priority on key issues for young children? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: IPA analysis has highlighted that social justice in early years is described as an 'exciting' opportunity to explore gender, sexuality, race and culture, and that issues of diversity, inclusion and equity have 149 references in the framework, while 'mother', 'father' and 'parent' are not mentioned.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (16:27): I thank the member for Morialta for his question about the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, and I am happy to speak a bit about why it is important, why South Australia adopted it, along with every other state and territory in Australia, who have also adopted the Early Years Learning Framework.

The first thing, I think, to make clear to this place is that it is not a curriculum to instruct children. I think, certainly, in some of the commentary that I have read about this from the Institute of Public Affairs it is certainly suggested or characterised as a curriculum, which it is not. It is a guide to help teachers and educators with their planning and, of course, we need to also keep in mind how the early years are different to primary school and secondary school, and keep in mind that particularly around preschool we characterise it as teacher-led, play-based learning. That is why it is different to primary school, just in the same way that primary school is different to secondary school.

I might address the part of the question where the member for Morialta spoke around the comments made by the IPA around the number of mentions in the new framework, which was approved in December 2022. The number of references in the framework to diversity, inclusion and equity—which I think is right—have been mentioned at about 149 times. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and reconciliation are mentioned 96 times and, as the member for Morialta said, as the IPA put it, no mention of mother, father or parent. But what has not been mentioned, and I think conveniently left out by the IPA, is that the words 'family' or 'families' is mentioned 154 times in the early years framework, which I think is a good thing.

If I could try to talk about what is at the essence of the framework and why it is an important thing, I want to just reiterate to this place and I think it is a good opportunity for me to do that again. I am not interested in culture wars, not one bit. They are a distraction from the job at hand. I am interested in getting good outcomes for kids who are at preschool, primary school, secondary school and in our vocational educational and training system. That is all I am interested in; that is the only thing.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. B.I. BOYER: I think I speak, as you can hear, on behalf of all those on this side. I know the member for Morialta agrees and many on that side do too. I am not interested in getting sucked into a debate by the commentariat like the IPA around culture wars stuff, which I think comes at the great detriment not only of the public debate but certainly comes at the detriment of, particularly, those young people out there from more impoverished or disadvantaged backgrounds who aren't getting the good outcomes at preschool, primary school or secondary school that we all aspire to and it takes our attention away from that.

I can tell and reassure everyone in this house, Mr Speaker, including you and the member for Morialta, that if this Early Years Learning Framework didn't deliver better outcomes to those kids who we are all on both sides of this place inspired to help, then I wouldn't have signed up to it and nor would have this government. That is my solemn commitment to this place.

But I do think that the messages that are within the framework, particularly around respect and inclusivity, are important. They are important. I spend a disproportionate amount of my time, as did my predecessor, dealing with issues around poor behaviour at schools—almost everyday, unfortunately. A lot of that stems from a lack of respect between young people or between families. If we can do just a small thing, just add an extra modicum of respect into the thinking and value structure of young people who might be as young as three or four, it will go a long way to addressing that really acute stuff that we are all aware happens sometimes, unfortunately, at our primary and secondary schools.