Graduate teachers' skills on the improve

Aspiring teachers have shown improved performance in a national literacy and numeracy test designed to weed out those unsuitable for the classroom.

From July this year all students undertaking initial education training will need to pass the test before they graduate in order to register as a teacher.

So far this year 3910 student teachers have sat the test and 94.5 per cent have met the standard for literacy and 93.1 per cent for numeracy.

In 2015, 4138 sat the test and 92.3 per cent passed literacy sections while 90.5 per cent met numeracy standards.

The test aims to ensure new teachers' literacy and numeracy skills are in the top 30 per cent of the adult population.

"These results are extremely encouraging," Education Minister Simon Birmingham said.