The Victorian opposition says schoolchildren will focus more on reading, writing and maths instead of learning “a politically correct gender and sexuality agenda” if it wins power.

The opposition also plans to scrap cross-curriculum priorities afforded to Indigenous history, Asian engagement and sustainability and place a greater emphasis on “the principles of western enlightenment” if it wins the November state election.

A Coalition government would ask a senior research fellow with the right-leaning Centre for Independent Studies, Dr Jennifer Buckingham, to review the curriculum.

“Foundational events that occurred in Europe and North America before 1788 that underpin our national and state institutions are barely spoken of,” the Coalition’s school education values statement, which was released on Wednesday, said. “Concepts like the inherent dignity of the individual, religious tolerance, the principles of the western enlightenment – such as freedom of speech, equality before the law and government by consent.

“Of course, there are aspects of this nation’s history we are not proud of, particularly the shameful treatment of the Indigenous peoples, and that must be taught in depth as well.”

The opposition education spokesman, Tim Smith, said the current curriculum was “over-cluttered” while literacy and numeracy standards were dropping.

He also said young people were leaving school without an adequate understanding of how democracy worked.

“I wouldn’t call it [the current curriculum] un-Australian, I just think that ... the working knowledge of our democracy should be improved,” Smith told reporters.

The opposition also wants to scrap the Safe Schools program designed to reduce bullying of LGBTI students and replace it with an anti-bullying program particularly focused on cyber-bullying.

“Programs like Safe Schools add to curriculum clutter and impose a politically correct gender and sexuality agenda on schools,” the statement says.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is a long-time defender of Safe Schools and told journalists Victorian students were already being taught Australian values.

“Well, I do think we teach Australian values in schools and we’re very, very proud of it,” he told reporters in Noble Park. “I think that when it comes to the education system in our state, there are some people who talk, there are other people who get on and build schools, employ more teachers and staff, run more programs and achieve better results, and that’s what the national data shows us.”

He said the Liberals cut education funding when they were in power.

“I’ll leave it to the good judgment of Victorians to work out, you know, who it is that cuts education and talks a lot about these things but has never delivered, and others who I’m very proud to say, who are all about building the new schools we need and setting us up for the future.”