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Analyses: Opposition leader Peter Dutton suggested that the government could limit funding for state schools that teach a “alarm agenda” as part of the field of education coalition. So how would it work?

Last night Dutton was asked in an audience of questions and answers about Sky News: “What will the coalition do to face the alarm caught agendas that are pushed through our educational systems?” The question followed the response speech to the Dutton budget, when he said that a coalition government “will restore a curriculum that teaches the basic fundamentals in our classes. A curriculum that cultivates critical thinking, responsible citizenship and common sense”.

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Dutton told the member of the public that the Federal Government had the power to condition the financing he gives to states. “And we should tell the States … that we want our children to be taught the curriculum and we want our children to be taught what it is necessary to face while dealing with the challenges of the world. And not being guided in a sort of agenda that comes out of the universities,” he said.

Is it so simple? First of all, the Federal Education Department writes the Australian curriculum – which was last updated by the coalition in 2022 – but also states have their curriculum. This means that stipulating the precise material that must be taught in schools is not so simple.

Secondly, the Federal Government provides about 20 % of funding for public schools (and 80 % to private schools). The Albanian government hit this up to 25 %, but it is still the minority lender. Most public school funding comes from the United States.

Third, while the teachers are guided by the curriculum, everyone has discretion on how they teach that material in class. This makes it difficult for state educational departments to know exactly what happens in every class, not to mention the federal department.

This is before examining what Dutton actually wants to remove or added to the curriculum-do not specify as the so-called “awakened” elements of class teachings to which it opposes.