THE COALITION’S PLAN TO REVIVE FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDY
The Federal Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta was joined today at Citipointe Christian College by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Tony Abbott to welcome the announcement by the Coalition to revive Foreign Languages in Schools throughout Australia.
“With such a multicultural community it is heartening to see the Coalition commit to reviving teaching of foreign languages in Australian schools”, said Ross Vasta.
“Knowing the languages of our key regional partners is vital to unlocking the potential of the Asian century for Australia.”
“A Coalition Government will work urgently with the states to ensure that at least 40 per cent of Year 12 students are once more taking a language other than English within a decade,” said Ross Vasta.
The teaching of foreign languages in Australian schools has long been in decline.
The Coalition believes that starting in pre-school every student should have an exposure to foreign languages.
Because foreign language speakers will have to be mobilised and because teachers take time to be trained, this will be a generational shift.
“We will urgently work with the states to ensure that the Australian workforce of the future can grasp the full opportunity of the Asian century” Ross Vasta said today.