At present, the ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia that does not require students in years 11 and 12 to complete any requirements in literacy or numeracy subjects.

But ACT Education Minister Joy Burch has called for the BSSS to review the requirements for English in the Year-12 Certificate and said she was also seeking advice on whether that should be extended to maths.

''We are the only state or territory without any mandatory requirements for English or maths. And for me, it seems very clear and reasonable that we should be looking at this, so I am seeking formal advice from the BSSS,'' Ms Burch said.

The advice will be prepared as part of the BSSS' 2014-16 strategic plan. It is due to be handed to the government in early 2014 - with mandatory English subjects introduced possibly to students beginning year 11 in 2015.

Ms Burch said stakeholders would be consulted and students would be given an adequate phase-in period so as not to be disadvantaged.

Ms Burch noted that her focus was on mandatory English and that mandatory maths subjects might be introduced at a later date.

''It will be quite a significant change for us, but I expect it will be accepted by parents as good sense,'' she said.

''In fact, my instinct is parents will be surprised to learn that some English participation is not already mandatory.

''I think our community would be very comfortable in every student having a demonstrable command of English once they leave school and we will see whether that needs to extend to maths depending on the BSSS' advice.''

The board's executive officer, Helen Strauch, said the issue had been raised before in the ACT, but local results had been so strong in literacy and numeracy that mandatory subjects had not been adopted.

She noted that of the 4355 students who achieved their ACT Year-12 Certificate last year, 97.3 per cent completed a course in English or English as a second language.

The number was lower for maths, with just 92.4 per cent completing at least a minor by year 12.

This meant that just under 120 students graduated last year with no English course and nearly 290 graduated with no maths.

English is mandatory in the NSW Higher School Certificate, as it is in the Victorian Certificate of Education.

South Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Queensland all require English and maths and WA requires maths/science or technology subjects in order to complete year 12.

There has also been a move in WA, Tasmania, SA, NT and Queensland for students to meet a minimum standard in order to graduate.

Ms Burch said this would be a logical progression for the ACT to make, although it was too early to determine what the standard would be or the time frame for its implementation.

Ms Strauch said the mandatory subjects would be a priority for the board's consideration as part of its strategic review and reflected wider national concerns about poor literacy standards among young people entering the workforce and university.

Ms Burch noted there was national consideration of requiring prospective teachers to meet minimum literacy requirements before being admitted to an Education degree and she did not want to see ACT students disadvantaged in this regard.

While only a small percentage of students was avoiding English in college, Ms Strauch said they may be the students who need it most.

''For many students, the senior secondary college years may be the last chance they get to actually get some support in those areas and to become competent in basic literacy before they leave school,'' she said.