The Territory Labor Government is investing to make the NT education system the most improved in Australia and 2019 NAPLAN preliminary results have shown significant long term gains.

The 2019 NAPLAN summary, released nationally today, provides preliminary information about overall state and territory results. A detailed breakdown, scheduled to be released in December, will include individual school results.

The preliminary results show significant long-term improvement, particularly in the early years, when compared to NAPLAN’s first year of testing in 2008.

Territory NAPLAN achievement highlights from 2008 to 2019 include:

• Improved performance for Year 3 students in reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Improved performance for Year 5 students in reading, spelling and numeracy
• Improved performance for Year 7 students in spelling and a stable performance in reading, grammar and punctuation and numeracy
• Stable performance for Year 9 students in spelling and numeracy

 When compared to 2018, there was also improvement in every year level in writing.

Long term NAPLAN trends also show growth in the number of Years 3 and 5 students meeting National Minimum Standards.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Selena Uibo.

“The Northern Territory can have the most improved education system in the country and this year’s preliminary NAPLAN results are an encouraging sign that improvement is happening.

“The Territory Labor Government promised three years ago to reinstate 164 teacher positions slashed by the CLP and to reverse the $135 million they cut from the education budget.

“We are delivering on that promise by reinvesting in education to support our students to achieve better outcomes. This year’s $1.16 billion education budget is the biggest in Territory history.

“We also know that being ready for school on day one is critical to improving a child’s success at school and into adulthood, which is why we have also significantly increased our early childhood investment.

“We have expanded our Families as First Teachers (FaFT) program from 27 sites to 44, with a further nine to commence in the next year, and are increasing our Child and Family Centres from six to 11.

“Combined with our $1.1 billion remote housing program, we are investing to make Territory children education-ready from their first day of school.”

Media contact: Kim Stephens 0417 683 144