A new study[1] by Australia’s leading tax services company, H&R Block, has revealed that 90% of Australians believe tax should be a staple in the high school curriculum, with 49% claiming their previous lack of tax education has resulted in a financial loss.
Off the back of this study, H&R Block has appointed Kimberlin Education to help deliver a national classroom-based Taxation and Superannuation School Program, aligned to the Australian curriculum.
As only 15% of Australians have been taught tax by their educators, the program includes a teacher’s guide and interactive resource enabling students to explore the complex Australian taxation system.
For the 1 in 2 (54%) Australians who claim to have limited knowledge of tax and superannuation, the program will include instruction on why we pay tax, what tax is used for, and navigating their own taxation and superannuation.
Kimberlin Education is a leading Australia-based agency specialising in the development of educational programs for the classroom. In collaboration with H&R Block, they have delivered a new national secondary school program aimed at Year 9 and 10 students to engage teachers, students and families with real-life learning of taxation and superannuation.
Kylie Green, Managing Director, Kimberlin Education: “Kimberlin Education is thrilled to be appointed as the education agency partner of H&R Block. The program has a real-world application and provides students with sound knowledge and advice when starting out in the workforce.”
Mark Chapman, Director of Tax Communications, H&R Block: “With our self-assessment system, it’s crucial that our current and future taxpayers have the knowledge to understand and comply with their tax obligations and this research shows that currently that isn’t the case. Our program will provide students with the skills they need to navigate the tax and super system as they enter the workforce, helping to produce a better informed and more financially literate generation.”
The program was piloted with a Year 10 economics class at a High School in Frenches Forest Sydney during Term 4 of 2019.
Throughout the lesson students also learn about where taxpayer money is spent in Australia, which supports them in developing an understanding that all Australians contribute to the economy. This understanding is furthered by studying the four-sector economy model. Students also learn basic employee skills, such as applying for a TFN, setting up their superannuation account, and reading their payslips. This learning is supported throughout the lesson as students also learn about what their basic rights are as an employee, and where they can find more information about awards.
The resource has now been developed as free recourse for teachers to view and access on the H&R Block website and is suitable for Stage 5 teachers across Australia to use. You can view the interactive and download the teacher guide via this link: https://www.hrblock.com.au/school-program
The resource was created to provide a platform for students to begin learning about tax and superannuation in Australia, and about getting their first job. This resource fills the hole in the market that previously existed where learning about tax was ‘squashed’ into another subject such as maths. By using these resources, teachers are able to provide students with not only the foundational knowledge of tax, jobs and superannuation, but also the ability to locate reputable information on these topics themselves.
The program is available as a free resource for teachers to download and utilise in their classroom and can be sourced from H&R Block’s education hub on their corporate website.
[1] Digital Edge Omnibus 2020
