Businessman David Gonski wants teaching to become a "high status" profession to attract more competent and committed people to its ranks - but his landmark review of Australian schooling has avoided the controversial issue of whether teachers are underpaid.

The report on schooling "excellence" released Monday advocated significant changes to how the curriculum is presented and assessed, in a bid to turn around Australia's lacklustre results in literacy and numeracy.

It also pointed the finger at a lack of reverence for the teaching profession, poor induction processes for new teachers and an unwillingness to work in regional and remote areas where good teachers are needed most.

"More needs to be done to raise the public esteem of the teaching profession and celebrate its merits and its contribution to Australian society," Mr Gonski's review urged.