Queensland is bucking a national trend towards limiting screen time in schools and simplifying maths instruction, with Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek reiterating the state's cautious approach despite a meeting of state and federal ministers that agreed to consider bans. While other states move to reduce device use in classrooms, Queensland has resisted, and has this year introduced an AI assistant into Year 9 and 10 state schools.
Following Monday's meeting of state and federal education ministers, federal Education Minister Jason Clare announced that all states had agreed to "set or consider" screen-time limits and artificial intelligence bans in schools. The meeting also green-lit curriculum changes from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) aimed at simplifying the national primary mathematics curriculum, prompted by slumping NAPLAN scores.
Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the state had agreed to consider reducing screen time and would “review what the Commonwealth presents and continue our discussions with Queensland families”. Queensland schools are largely free from state interference over how technology appears in classrooms, subject to minimum digital and technology literacy requirements. The state introduced an AI assistant into Year 9 and 10 state school classrooms this year, with plans to extend it. Langbroek said other changes discussed, including a possible return to pen-and-paper NAPLAN tests for year 5 students in 2028, were subject to approvals from the national assessment authority.
The ACARA curriculum changes, which could be rolled out in Queensland as early as next year, include more accessible language in mathematics, earlier financial literacy, and in some cases removing references to technology use or proposed teaching methods. ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel said the aim was to prioritise mathematical content while not ruling out “purposeful use” of digital devices. “Ultimately, these changes are about giving every child the strongest possible start in mathematics, while supporting teachers with a clearer and more practical curriculum,” he said.
However, Brisbane-based mathematics education researcher Professor Vince Geiger from the Australian Catholic University argued that technology can help link maths to real-world scenarios, even in primary school. "There's actually a lot of really important uses and opportunities there for kids to learn maths in a deeper and richer way," he said. He gave the example of understanding money when digital payments are common. Geiger warned that an exclusive focus on basics could disengage students, drawing a cricket analogy where students only practice in nets and never play a game.
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Analysis
Why This Matters
Queensland's approach will affect how hundreds of thousands of students use devices and learn maths.
The state's resistance may influence national education policy direction.
Decision on pen-and-paper NAPLAN for year 5s could set a precedent for other grades.
Background
The national curriculum authority ACARA oversees curriculum content, but states control implementation. Queensland has historically given schools independence over technology. This year, it introduced an AI assistant in Year 9 and 10 state schools.
Key Perspectives
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare: Every state agreed to "set or consider" screen-time limits and AI bans in schools.
Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek: The state is hesitant, will review Commonwealth proposals and continue talks with families.
ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel: The curriculum changes aim to prioritise mathematical content, not rule out purposeful use of devices.
Brisbane mathematics researcher Professor Vince Geiger: Technology can enrich maths learning, and an overemphasis on basics risks disengagement.
What to Watch
Whether Queensland adopts the ACARA curriculum changes next year.
Outcome of the NAPLAN format review.
Extension of the AI assistant to other year levels.
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
SupportedQueensland remains resistant to screen-time limits amid a national push for back-to-basics maths.The Age - Latest News: “National education authorities have revealed a return to foundations in mathematics classrooms across the country and a screen time “detox” in Australian classrooms, but Queensland remains resistant to the technological shake-up.”
SupportedQueensland is hesitant about classroom technology limits and plans to extend its AI assistant.The Age - Latest News: “Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek reiterated the state’s hesitant stance to following interstate technology crackdowns”
SupportedQueensland is bucking a national trend towards limiting screen time and simplifying maths instruction.The Age - Latest News: “The national curriculum authority has introduced changes to primary mathematics streamlining learning directives and focussing on foundations amid a countrywide technology crack-down.”
Partly supportedState and federal ministers agreed to consider screen-time limits and AI bans.The Age - Latest News: “federal Education Minister Jason Clare said every state minister had agreed to “set or consider” screen-time limits and artificial intelligence bans in schools.”
SupportedLangbroek said Queensland would “review what the Commonwealth presents and continue our discussions with Queensland families”.The Age - Latest News: “the state would “review what the Commonwealth presents and continue our discussions with Queensland families”.”
SupportedQueensland schools are largely free from state interference over classroom technology, subject to minimum digital and technology literacy requirements.The Age - Latest News: “Queensland schools – including state schools – are largely free from state interference when decided how technology appears in the classroom, subject to minimum digital and technology literacy requirements.”
SupportedQueensland introduced an AI assistant into Year 9 and 10 state school classrooms this year and plans to extend it.The Age - Latest News: “The state also introduced a purpose-built AI assistant into year 9 and 10 state school classrooms this year , with plans to extend the technology.”
SupportedA possible return to pen-and-paper NAPLAN tests for Year 5 students in 2028 is subject to approvals from the national assessment authority.The Age - Latest News: “including a possible return to pen-and-paper NAPLAN tests for year 5 students in 2028 – were subject to approvals from the national assessment authority.”
SupportedACARA's curriculum changes could be rolled out in Queensland as early as next year and include more accessible maths language, earlier financial literacy, and removing some references to technology or teaching methods.The Age - Latest News: “curriculum changes recommended by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority could be rolled out in Queensland as early as next year. ... Among the mathematics revisions were more accessible language choices, an earlier introduction to financial literacy ... and, in some instances, stripping out references to technology use or proposed teaching methods.”
Not in the sourcesGniel said the aim was to “prioritise mathematical content”.The Age - Latest News: “ACARA chief executive Stephen Gniel said the aim was to prioritise mathematical content, although that did not rule out the “purposeful use” of digital devices.”
SupportedGeiger said there are important opportunities for children to learn maths in a deeper and richer way.The Age - Latest News: ““There’s actually a lot of really important uses and opportunities there for kids to learn maths in a deeper and richer way,” he said.”
SupportedGeiger warned that an exclusive focus on basics could disengage students, using a cricket analogy about practising in nets without playing a game.The Age - Latest News: “He said a focus on “the basics” also ran the risk of disengaging students. “I’ve always said that it’s equivalent to learning how to play sports … if you’re playing cricket, imagine that all you’re allowed to do for the 12 years in school is practice in the nets and never be able to play a game,” he said.”
Correction
An earlier version of this story presented the words “prioritise mathematical content” as a direct quote from Stephen Gniel. The source reported that aim in indirect speech.