Civics is set for a major overhaul in South Australian schools, with an $18.4 million investment slated to make sure students learn more about the important role civics and citizenship play in our society.

The sweeping reforms aim to ensure every student graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate an increasingly polarised world.

The changes include:

• All year 7 and 8 public school students will study civics and citizenship for an hour per week.
• Every subject in years 9 and 10 will have civics and citizenship incorporated into it.
• Public schools will be supported to introduce new opportunities for students to participate in school-based democratic opportunities.
• All public school students will be able to participate in an annual Active Citizenship Convention, starting next year, putting their education into practice.

These reforms – designed to strengthen the future of democracy in South Australia – will see the state lead the nation in this area. SA  will also be the first state or territory to introduce a specialised civics teacher in every public high school and B-12 school.

Increasing an educational focus on the civics and citizenship was championed by the South Australian Governor Frances Adamson AC, along with the Commissioner for Children and Young People Helen Connolly, who has argued for more civics and citizenship education in South Australia.

Civics is currently delivered through Humanities and Social Sciences as a compulsory aspect of learning between the years of 3 and 8. However, the quality of this delivery is mixed due to a lack of specialist teachers.

There has been a 15 per cent decline in students studying year 12 Politics, Power and People between 2021 and 2023 – highlighting the need for urgent reform.

The Education Department will also work with schools to increase the offering of politics in SACE so more students have the opportunity to study it in their senior school years.

Additionally, a three-day statewide Active Citizenship Convention will be hosted annually, starting in 2025, for students to engage in workshops about issues of importance to them; and to learn about the ways in which relevant laws and policies are made and how they are influenced.

A working group, chaired by Department for Education Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell, will oversee the implementation of these reforms.

Marden Senior College Principal Nikki Kotrotsos said she was in favour of boosting the state’s civics curriculum.

“Across our school community at Marden Senior College, we see enthusiasm and passion for learning from our students in a variety of ways, but our politics students and their teacher are especially engaged in the concept of democracy and the role they all play now and into the future in being ethical and informed citizens,” Ms Kotrotsos said.

“As an educator I’m supportive of anything that we can do to foster lifelong learning, and ensuring future generations are active, ethical and principled citizens, who have the opportunity to participate in a strong, resilient democratic process.”