A Grattan Institute study has found that not only are Australia's students struggling with maths, but many teachers lack the confidence to teach it even at a Year Six level.
The institute has called for a number of government commitments, including a long-term goal of 90 per cent numeracy proficiency on NAPLAN testing, clearer guidance to schools on teaching methods and more professional development for teachers.
Just 13 per cent of Australian Year Four students excelled on a 2023 international maths test, compared with 22 per cent in England, 16 per cent in Ireland and 32 per cent in Japan.
At Year Eight level, just 11 per cent of Australians excelled.
'Faddish' teaching methods criticised
Jordana Hunter, education program director at Grattan Institute, said Australia had deprioritised maths for decades.
"Governments have also been too slow to rule out faddish but unproven maths teaching methods," she said.
"To turn rhetoric into reality, governments need to take seriously the evidence base on how humans, including children, learn maths most effectively."
The institute's survey found some teachers lacked the confidence to teach Year Six maths, while many were concerned about their colleagues' ability to teach the subject.
Hunter said a 10-year 'maths guarantee strategy' would only cost about $67 per primary school student a year.
Joanna Barbousas, education expert at La Trobe University, said the study made it clear action was needed to halt the "numeracy crisis".
"The lifetime impact for students who fall behind on these core skills is substantial, affecting long-term employment, health and social outcomes and perpetuating cycles of disadvantage.
"Teachers are telling us they feel unprepared for the classroom … when half of our 15-year-olds fail to achieve national standards in maths, it's not the students who are failing, it's our approach to education."
