Australia’s Education System Is Not Failing — But the Narrative Is

By Craig Petersen (Past-President, NSW Secondary Principals’ Council and former ASPA Director)

Image: Craig Petersen, courtesy of NSW Secondary Principals’ Council

It’s a familiar headline: Australia’s education system is in crisis. We’re told our students are slipping down international rankings, our classrooms are falling behind, and our schools are in decline. But as with many media- or politically driven narratives, the story is more complex — and the truth is far more encouraging than the headlines suggest.

As an educator and school leader with decades of experience in public education, I have grown increasingly frustrated with the chorus of commentary declaring failure. When we look beyond the rhetoric and examine the evidence — from international benchmarking to national assessments and senior secondary outcomes — a different picture emerges. One of a system that is far from perfect, but certainly not failing.

A Closer Look at the Evidence

Take the latest PISA results — the go-to reference for critics. Yes, Australia’s average scores in reading, mathematics, and science have declined since the early 2000s. But we remain above the OECD average in all domains. That puts us in a stronger position than the majority of developed countries. We are not world-leading — and we should want to be — but we are not languishing in failure.

TIMSS tells a similar story: Australian students continue to perform above the international average, particularly in Year 8 mathematics and science. Even more encouragingly, recent results show upward trends. In PIRLS, our Year 4 students demonstrate reading literacy that is on par with, or better than, their global peers. These are not the hallmarks of a failing system.

Nationally, NAPLAN reveals steady improvements in early literacy and numeracy. Yes, secondary results are flatter, and equity gaps persist — especially for students in remote and disadvantaged communities. But this speaks to a system grappling with inequality, not one lacking in capability.

Meanwhile, in my home state of NSW, the Higher School Certificate (HSC) remains a rigorous and reliable measure of senior secondary learning. Every year, thousands of students achieve high bands in a broad range of subjects. Participation and completion rates are strong. We see growing numbers of students — including from low-SES and regional backgrounds — achieving results that position them for university, apprenticeships, and life beyond school.

The Real Crisis: Public Perception

The real problem in Australian education is not failure — it’s the persistence of a deficit narrative that undermines trust in public schools and demoralises the very professionals working hardest to improve outcomes.

Too often, politicians and commentators use cherry-picked statistics to justify reform agendas or funding shifts. They lean on outdated PISA figures without acknowledging the complexity behind the data: test fatigue, socio-economic divides, and systemic underfunding. They ignore international trends — including declines in traditionally high-performing systems like Finland and Canada — and fail to mention that several of our neighbours in Asia engage in far more test-driven, high-pressure schooling than most Australians would tolerate.

When we focus only on rankings, we miss the full story: Australia has a globally respected curriculum, a dedicated and qualified teaching workforce, and a culture of improvement that sees schools continuously adapting, innovating, and responding to student need.

Where We Do Need to Do Better?

None of this is to suggest complacency. There are real and urgent challenges we must face.

The equity gap is widening. Students in rural and remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds continue to be under-served. Access to experienced teachers, quality infrastructure, and enrichment opportunities remains uneven. This is unacceptable in a country as wealthy and well-resourced as ours.

In terms of international performance, equity is certainly an area where Australia really is under-performing. In fact, if we are serious about improving educational outcomes as a nation, we must address equity issues. There is a reason that the Mparntwe Education Declaration specifically addresses both Excellence and Equity.

We also continue to face a teacher supply crisis, with pervasive shortages in key subject areas and leadership roles. And we continue to live with the legacy of a funding system that, despite the aspirations of Gonski and the promise of recent government announcements, still fails to fully deliver on needs-based investment.

But none of these challenges are beyond us. They are policy problems, not indicators of a system in free fall.

A Call for Balance

It’s time we changed the conversation. Instead of declaring failure, let’s recognise where we are making gains. Let’s focus our national energy on supporting teachers, strengthening equity, and trusting the professionalism of school leaders and communities.

Australian public education is not failing. What’s failing is the public narrative. It’s time we told a more honest, more hopeful, and more accurate story.