PLATO Media Release 16 June 2006 -- for immediate release

PLATO calls for review of OBE in Primary Schools

Retired Associate Professor and PLATO spokesman Steve Kessell has called on the State Government to initiate a comprehensive independent review of the OBE implementation in WA's primary schools.

He notes: "The Minister waxes lyrical about how wonderful OBE has been in Kindergarten through Year 10. But where is the evidence; where are the objective, independent evaluations?"

He said anecdotal evidence from parents and teachers is discouraging.

Kessell argues that: "The government urgently needs to commission a thorough and transparent evaluation of OBE from K to 10, completely independent of the government bureaucracies. The lack of such an independent evaluation is a major reason why WA education is in such a mess now: the same people that write the courses also evaluate and accredit them."

He said: "The Curriculum Council's power of self-accreditation is dangerous. Look at how they have "un-accredited" the tried and tested TEE courses, and have accredited new courses that are still undergoing major changes as we speak."