The Alice Springs Declaration

The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration released in December 2019, sets the national vision and goals for education for all Australians, agreed on by all education ministers in Australia. It replaces the Melbourne Declaration.  

The Mparntwe Declaration outlines two goals similar to the 2008 Melbourne Declaration: 

  • The Australian education system promotes excellence and equity.
  • All young Australians become confident and creative individuals, successful lifelong learners, and active and informed members of the community. ​

What's New in the Mparntwe Declaration?

The Mparntwe Declaration presents new and reframed commitments, including, but not limited to, the following key areas: 

  • A student-centred, holistic approach to education, recognising that students have different strengths, needs and backgrounds, emphasizing the importance of meeting these individual needs with a focus on student progress and growth regardless of the starting point. The focus is unlocking all learner’s potential and ensuring they experience success, including those who may be disadvantaged and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This is especially necessary in primary school so that a strong foundation is established to ensure continued learning success in school and throughout life.

  • Education’s role in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of young people and in building their capacity to be resilient; recognizing, adapting to, and managing change.

  • A call to celebrate and learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge and histories.

  • The importance of learning throughout life from early childhood onward, the need for effective transitions between all stages of learning and for students to be prepared for future, diverse pathways.

  • The importance of stronger partnerships with parents, carers, families and local and global communities.

  • An increased emphasis on ‘soft’ skills essential for young people to be contributing members of local and global communities, who have the capacity to affect positive change and thrive in a changing world.

  • The necessity of developing effective systems to assess student, school and nation-wide progress.