Curriculum review a 'joke', says Labor

A review of the national schools curriculum has been labelled a farce by Labor, dismissed as merely a distraction from the government's attempts to walk away from school funding reform.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne on Friday announced a review of a curriculum he describes as too rigid and prescriptive, prompting criticism that he wanted to rid it of perceived left-wing bias.

Labor's education spokeswoman Kate Ellis dismissed the review as a "farce" and a "joke".

"This is nothing more than a distraction from the fact that this government has betrayed every school student and every parent of Australian children," she told reporters in Adelaide, referring to the coalition's "unity ticket" election promise.

The coalition last year tried to scrap Labor's Gonski funding deals with the states, a proposal it eventually dropped after widespread criticism.

Ms Ellis also raised questions about the two men appointed to head the review - former teacher and Liberal staffer Kevin Donnelly, and business professor Ken Wiltshire.

Both are critics of Labor's education reforms and have spoken out about what they see as a cultural bias in education.

The curriculum needed to be developed by an independent body, Ms Ellis said.

"We need to make sure that our children are getting the best lessons, not getting taught in political philosophies that the Abbott government seek to endorse," she said.

The Greens say Mr Pyne's perception of bias in the curriculum was clouding his judgment, accusing the minister of wanting to take Australian schools "back to the 1950s".

"The response from Christopher Pyne is pure ideology," acting leader Richard Di Natale told reporters in Melbourne.