Most school-developed elective courses for year nine and 10 students in NSW will be phased out and replaced with courses developed and overseen by the state's education standards authority.
The NSW government said that of the current elective courses developed by schools for year nine and 10 students, only those centred on languages, Auslan and Braille would continue beyond 2022.
The rest would be replaced in schools around the state by elective courses developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority.
The government has previously complained about subjects such as "Lifestyle Studies", "Wearable Art" and "Puppetry" in some NSW schools.
More than 80 courses developed by schools have already been classified as "unnecessary" as part of the government's curriculum reform.
"New criteria will ensure that courses are only approved where the course provides a high quality elective option for students, and does not duplicate or overlap with existing opportunities within the syllabus," Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said in a statement on Friday.
The government last year said it would take a "back to basics" approach under a new school curriculum due to come into full effect by 2024.
They said the school curriculum would be "decluttered" to prioritise mathematics, science and English, while pathways for year 12 students to tertiary education or full-time work would be enhanced.
This would include pre-qualification in year 11 and 12 for university or TAFE courses and an "untimed syllabus" to ensure struggling students aren't left behind on course material.
There are about 1.2 million students at 3100 NSW schools from kindergarten to year 12.
Australian Associated Press
