Given:

1. Learning languages of the Asian region enables young Australians to directly participate in and deeply connect with Asia, providing benefits throughout their schooling, career and lives;

2. Australia has experienced over a decade of stagnation and regression with respect to the teaching and learning of languages in schools — particularly at upper secondary level;

3. Australia ranked second last among 64 countries in the most recent (2018) OECD survey of second language study by 15-year-old (Year 10) students – with only 36.4% of Australian Year 10 students studying a second language in school;

4. The number of Year 12 students enrolled in languages in Australian schools has declined from 11.3% in 2010 to 8.2% in 2022;

5. The study of the three priority Asian languages – Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian – by Australian Year 12 students is at its lowest levels in over a decade, with 3.7% of Year 12 students studying these languages in 2022, down from 5.1% in 2010; and

6. The number of students studying other priority Asian languages – such as Korean and Hindi – at Year 12 level in Australian schools remains exceedingly small.

 

We are calling for:

1. Creation of a national policy and strategy to increase the diversity of language learning in Australian schools.

2. Renewal of a systematic, national approach to the teaching Asian languages in Australian primary and secondary schools.

3. Restoration of funding for the teaching of Asian languages in Australian schools

  • bring back federal funding for the teaching and learning of Asian languages in Australian schools at a level of $20 per Australian school student per year – equivalent to the level prevailing between 1995 and 2002; and
  • create new funding sources for the teaching of Asian languages in Australian schools through state and territory governments, not-for-profits and the private sector.

This pledge was endorsed by the Acicis National Reference Group on 30 October 2023 at the 2023 Acicis Annual General Meeting. This Pledge has also been endorsed by: