2026-09-09
The Greens say the national conversation around classroom disruption and student performance is broken, with the latest PISA data showing Australian teachers are among the most attentive and hardest-working in the world.
According to PISA data about learning conditions in Australian science classes:
- 79% of students say their teacher shows an interest in every student’s learning, compared with 69% across the OECD
- 80% say their teacher gives extra help when students need it, compared with the 73% OECD average
- 73% say their teacher continues teaching until students understand, compared with 66% for the OECD
The Greens say the results should prompt a much deeper discussion about student disengagement, teacher shortages, school funding, inequality and whether the Australian model of education is capable of meeting the needs of every young person.
Comments attributable to Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Australian Greens Spokesperson for Primary and Secondary Education:
“Blaming teachers and kids is not going to end classroom disruption.
“Kids aren’t acting up for the hell of it. They’re disruptive because they’re disengaged, and they’re disengaged because teachers aren’t empowered and supported to ensure learning works for every student.
“We need to fully fund our public schools, giving our overworked and overstretched teachers the resources and support they need to provide the education our kids deserve.
“We also need to have a serious conversation about Australia’s one-size-fits-all approach to education and the way particular pedagogies are being forced down teacher’s throats, undermining their skills and experience and ensuring our kids keep falling further behind.”