Regional students fall behind city peers in 'cornerstone' subject

The National Assessment Program 2023 tested a sample of Year 6 and Year 10 students for their general science literacy skills and knowledge.

More than half of Australian Year 6 students (57 per cent) and Year 10 students (54 per cent) achieved the proficient standard for their year level.

But in regional areas, 51 per cent of year 6 students and 42 per cent of year 10 students met the benchmark.

The ACT had the highest proportion of year 6 students achieving the benchmark (69 per cent) and the Northern Territory had the lowest proportion of students in the proficient category (42 per cent).

Girls and boys performed equally well in the test, consistent with previous years.

Only one third of Indigenous Year 3 students and a quarter of Indigenous Year 10 students achieved the proficient standard, well-behind their non-Indigenous peers. The gap has not changed since the 2018 assessment round.

Students whose parents were senior managers or professionals did better on the science assessment. About 70 per cent of students who had at least one parent working in this category were achieving the proficient standard.

The assessment also asked the students about their attitudes towards science. While more than 90 per cent of students agreed that science could help us understand global issues, only half said they could learn new ideas about science easily.

Enthusiasm for science seemed to wane as students got older. Three quarters of year 6 students said they would like to learn more science at school, but by year 10, only 59 per cent wanted to study science in year 11 and 12, and 38 per cent were considering a career in science.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority acting chief executive Stephen Gniel said the report provided valuable insights for policymakers as well as school leaders and teachers.

"Science is one of the cornerstones of 21st century society. It drives technological change, improves our quality of life and helps us understand the world around us," Mr Gniel said.

"Therefore, it's critical we are arming Australian students with the science literacy necessary not only to be able to participate as active citizens in our ever-advancing technological society, but also to help overcome its challenges, minimise its risks and contribute to its development."

The assessment is done every three years, however it was not conducted in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.