NSW Greens Education spokesperson Adjunct Professor Tamara Smith MP is calling on the Minister for Education to scrap draft changes to HSC Dance, Drama, and Music and go back to the drawing board.

Ms Smith said, “The Greens back teachers as the experts and stakeholders when it comes to designing curriculum. The draft changes to the HSC Music, Drama, and Dance syllabi put forward by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) appear to be all about cutting costs and very little to do with student outcomes."

"As a former Dance and Drama teacher in NSW secondary schools and as a senior dance marker for many years, I can vouch for the value and significance of external assessors for major works. When you have a former professional dancer, actor, or industry expert assessing a student's piece, the feedback is immeasurable for student growth and improvement, and it sets a high standard of success across the state, knowing all major works are being similarly appraised by independently qualified experts in their field."

"Assessment for learning is the cornerstone of pedagogy in NSW, and gaining a sense of the standard of your performance work by having independent assessment is vital for learning in HSC Performing Arts subjects. It's the equivalent of having a qualified plumber assess a student hydrology project, setting an industry benchmark for success."

"I've had a lot of teachers, academics, and performers reach out to say how dismayed they are that professionally assessed performances and options to submit non-digital major works are being cut under the proposed changes." 

“There are valid concerns around changes to the scope of Individual projects in HSC Drama that limit submissions to digital. When did Drama become limited to digital works or videos of live performances!? Anyone in theatre can attest that limiting performance and stagecraft submissions to a digital format is flattening the magic of performance. It also means that students who lack access to the best software and technology needed to create and present their work in a digital format are disadvantaged.”

“The 2024 Joint Select Committee on Arts and Music Education and Training in NSW’s inquiry clearly presented an overwhelming argument for greater focus on group and practical performance opportunities for students enrolled in performing arts courses.”