- Education "reform" will see less money to WA schools. Not more.
Premier Colin Barnett has strongly criticised the Federal Government's proposed overhaul of education funding, saying it will disadvantage West Australian children in WA's public schools.
Mr Barnett said the latest Federal figures showed that NSW would get 16 times the funding that WA would receive simply because Western Australia had invested so heavily in our children's education.
As a consequence WA would get the same as Northern Territory which has one tenth our population.
"Effectively, Prime Minister Gillard wants to disadvantage West Australian boys and girls because of the Barnett Government's strong investment in State schools. This proposal would essentially hold our schools back so schools in other States can 'catch up'. I am not prepared to do that."
Mr Barnett said the State Government spent an average of $13,900 per primary student and $19,050 per secondary student in government schools. The Commonwealth model is based on an average $9,200 per primary student and $12,200 per secondary student, with loadings for socio-economic status, disability, Aboriginality, location and size.
"That the Gillard Government is suggesting we will get $300million additional funding over six years, when compared to what the other States are getting is, in itself, disgraceful," he said.
"What's worse is that we will only get this $50million a year if we sign up to a model that restricts funding to WA government schools to get down to a national average.
"This is just another example of Prime Minister Gillard attempting to financially penalise Western Australia for being successful," he said.
"We're used to being punished by the Commonwealth but I won't stand for West Australian children being punished by the Commonwealth."
Mr Barnett said the proposed model was an attempt to wrest control of government schooling from the States, which have constitutional responsibility for government schools, and would also see more public funding flow from public to private schools.
"If the Federal Government is genuine about helping disadvantaged schools and students, it can do so by providing top-up funding to those schools," he said.
"For Western Australia, the bottom line is the State Government will not agree to any model that reduces State Government funding to State Government schools."
Fact File
Total funding package of $14.5billion over six years
NSW to get $5billion; Victoria $4b; Queensland $3.8b; Tasmania $0.4b
WA to get $300million over six years = $50million a year
Much of the so-called additional funding from the Commonwealth will be existing funding for programs like Computers in Schools, which were due to expire
Approximately 70% of WA students go to State schools; 90% of State schools are funded by the State Government
WA's annual education budget is $4.1bn
Premier's office - 6552 5000
