Governance in Australia

Responsibility for education lies with the states and systems vary. This section only references public agencies working at the federal level. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is the lead federal agency providing national leadership in education. The other federal agencies in the education sector are: the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority which develops curriculum and administers national exams, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council which works to enhance teaching practices in higher education, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, which helps to promote excellence in the teaching profession in primary and high schools and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.

Department of Education
Canberra
Minister: Christopher Pyne
Secretary: Lisa Paul

Australian Research Council
Canberra
Tel: +61 2 6287 6600
Email: info@arc.gov.au
Chief executive officer: Aidan Byrne

Australian Qualifications Framework
Adelaide
Tel: +61 8 8406 4735
Executive director: Dr Lyndal Groom
Email: lyndal.groom@aqf.edu.au

Public spending on education was 5.6 per cent of GDP in 2010.

The Australian Government is committed to working with state and territory governments, as well as faith and independent school sectors, to make sustainable and meaningful change in the way teaching and learning are delivered in Australian schools.

The Digital Education Revolution, launched in 2008, aimed to positively change and develop teaching and learning in schools to prepare students to study, live and work in a digital world. It has provided new information and communication technology and broadband connections in all secondary schools with students in Years 9-12; online curriculum tools and resources to support the national curriculum and conferencing facilities for specialist subjects such as languages; teacher training in the new technologies; and online learning facilities for parents to enable participation in their children’s education.

Pan-Commonwealth

In 1971 Australia hosted the 5th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Canberra. Commonwealth education ministers meet every three years to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest.