Media Release

ACARA Civics Reform Must Reach Every Australian Student 

3 November 2026

Proposed new national reforms to teach students about the rule of law, democracy and the dangers of antisemitism will not automatically reach every Australian student, and the Rule of Law Education Centre is calling on Education Ministers to make sure they do. 

At the 20 February 2026 meeting ‘Ministers agreed to task the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) to conduct a focused review of the Australian Curriculum to identify opportunities to strengthen its capacity to support: an understanding and rejection of all forms of antisemitic thought and antisemitic actions, a deep understanding of Jewish Australians’ history and culture, and an understanding of Australian values.’

This review was discussed at the Education Ministers Meeting on Monday 2 November 2026.  

As reported in The Australian newspaper on 28 October 2026 by Lucy Carroll,

'a rewritten national curriculum would mandate detailed study of the Holocaust... the evils of antisemitism, the rule of law and ethical online content sharing, under landmark reforms proposed by the national curriculum agency.'  

The Rule of Law Education Centre welcomes the specific inclusion of the rule of law in the proposed reforms. The rule of law is key to social cohesion and to ensuring all people are treated equally under the law and is underpinned by principles such as an independent judiciary, presumption of innocence and freedom of speech.

Teaching the rule of law is not just about obeying laws. It is about giving students an informed voice through the understanding of our legal traditions and governance structures, so they can constructively participate in our democracy and hold those in power to account.

These reforms, proposed by ACARA in response to the Bondi terror attack, reflect the community’s expectation that all Australian students have the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to participate in democratic life. 

However, not all Australian students are taught the Australian Curriculum.

States such as New South Wales ‘adopt and adapt’ the Australian Curriculum, so what students learn can look quite different, particularly in civics and citizenship, which is embedded across subjects rather than taught as a stand-alone subject. NSW has just embarked on substantial curriculum reform that incorporates civics and citizenship content. Teachers are already managing a crowded curriculum. 

Across Australia, students’ civics knowledge also varies widely, with little understanding of where the gaps are.

In 2024, only 28% of Year 10 students nationally reached the proficient standard in ACARA’s NAP-Civics and Citizenship assessment, with results ranging from 18% in the NT, 28% in NSW and 37% in ACT.

Because the test is only sat by a sample of students every three years, schools and governments cannot see which students are falling behind. 

Call for Reform:

In response to the ACARA review and the recent Education Ministers meeting, the Rule of Law Education Centre is calling for the below measures so that civic reforms reach every student across Australia: 

1. Map Existing Content:  Undertake a targeted mapping of all state and territory curricula, including NSW, against ACARA's proposed reforms to ensure core values like the rule of law, democratic freedoms, and a fair go, as well as opportunities for participatory democratic learning and the skills of civil discourse are adequately included. 

2. Support Teachers: In a Rule of Law Education Centre survey of 216 teachers, released in June 2026, almost half (49%) said limited space in the curriculum was the biggest barrier to facilitating respectful debate on contemporary or controversial issues, and professional development on addressing challenging topics was the support teachers most wanted. Governments could provide this by including Civics and Citizenship as a mandatory priority area in teacher accreditation, including debate-based civics and citizenship courses. 

3. Recognise National Student Proficiency: Require all Australian schools to participate in ACARA’s NAP-Civics and Citizenship assessment, so students who are not receiving sufficient civics education can be identified and supported, and schools that are doing well can be recognised. The assessment already exists, so this requires no new content, only wider participation. Governments should also investigate the introduction of a Civics Certificate recognising Year 10 students who demonstrate proficiency in civics and citizenship skills, attitudes and engagement in democracy and the rule of law. 

Media contact: Sally Layson Sally@ruleoflaw.org.au

About the Rule of Law Education Centre

The Rule of Law Education Centre (‘the Centre’) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organisation that has supported Australian schools for over a decade through curriculum-aligned resources, student programs, and teacher professional learning.  The Centre works with Teacher Associations, Schools, and the McKinnon Democracy Counts initiative as well as speaking on behalf of over 3,300 members, 70% of whom are teachers.