Now Punjabi will be taught in public schools in Western Australia. The language is all set to be introduced into the school curriculum. The Australian government is adopting Punjabi as the newest language after a 2021 census showed that it was the fastest-growing language in Australia with more than 239,000 people using it at home, an increase of over 80 per cent from 2016, reported SBS Punjabi.
The syllabus for pre-primary to year 12 will be developed this year. The move to teach Punjabi in schools was considered after the syllabus included Tamil, Hindi, and Korean languages in 2021.
Students are expected to be able to take Year 11 courses in 2024, with the first Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) course examination set in 2025, while schools will have access to the pre-primary to Year 10 curriculum starting in 2024, SBS Punjabi reported.
In December, Education Minister Sue Ellery told SBS that the Punjabi language will be offered as an option to pre-primary through year twelve students in Western Australia. She added that with over 190 languages spoken throughout the state, linguistic diversity is a great strength that provides a range of social, cultural and economic benefits.
"I am pleased to see the ongoing expansion of languages curriculum for WA students, and the development of Punjabi curriculum is particularly fitting given it could support students in key future employment opportunities," Ms Ellery said in a press release.
While language is a new addition, earlier Australian Sikh history was included in the Humanities and Social Sciences subjects in WA schools for years 5, 6 and 9.
