Gillard announces more cash for private schools

Updated

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Julia Gillard speaks to the Independent Schools Council of Australia (ABC News)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced plans to provide the same funding for all school students, regardless of the type of school they attend.

The shake-up, announced in a speech to the Independent Schools Council of Australia this morning, will result in every independent school receiving a funding boost.

Ms Gillard said the funding rethink would help the Government lift education standards for all children, in both the private and public sectors.

But the Government, which has delayed its formal response to the Gonski report into school funding, will not say how much extra money schools will get.

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"I believe government support for a child's education is one of the entitlements of citizenship," Ms Gillard said.

"No matter how rich or poor your parents are, or where you go to school, our nation should provide a basic degree of support to your education, because you are Australian, because you are part of the whole.

"There should be Australian Government support to educate every Australian child, in the poorest and most remote school and at the best-known and best-resourced school.

"That's why our funding model will recognise the diversity and uniqueness of Australian schools and will support the choices parents make about the best school for their child.

"That's why our plans will deliver funding security for your schools.

"All students, regardless of school, will be funded on a consistent basis for the first time. Every independent school in Australia will see their funding increase under our plan. This plan will lift school standards, not school fees."

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Funding increase for independent schools expected (ABC News)

Schools will also need to produce performance plans showing how they will improve student results.

But any hope of a full government response to the Gonski review on school funding this week was dashed at the weekend, with the Prime Minister confirming it was still some weeks away.

The review was handed to the Government last November and its reform proposals come with a hefty $5 billion price tag.

Gonski says the money should come from both state and federal governments increasing their contributions. But given the recent stoush over funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme trial sites, it remains unclear if the state governments will support the plan.

The Opposition argues the Government is delaying its response to Gonski because it does not have the funds to pay for it, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he doubts the Prime Minister will keep today's promises about school funding.

"Unless the Government is prepared to release its own Gonski modelling, unless the Government is prepared to indicate exactly where the added billions are coming from, the parents of Australia will know their school's funding is not safe under this Prime Minister."

Mr Abbott is not saying anything just yet about his funding plans for education.

Outlining his general economic approach to the Australian Industry Group's national forum, he restated his promises to get rid of the carbon and mining taxes and deliver a modest company tax cut. Spending would be cut too.

Show of hands

The Australian Education Union highlighted its calls for action on schools funding today with a protest that saw 6,700 cardboard hands placed outside Parliament House.

Union president Angelo Gavrielatos says the hands have been signed by school principals, teachers and parents who want action now.

"They represent every single public school right across the country, transmitting a very simple message to politicians, and that is: 'Get on with funding reform'," he said.

"Schools have, do and should engage in ongoing evaluation of teaching and learning programs. Schools have, do and should set improvement targets. What we now need is the investment to meet those targets."

Geoff Newcombe from the Association of Independent Schools says the Government's full response to the Gonksi review must come soon.

"I think the constant delay is unfair to parents ... who have enrolled their children in independent schools or are thinking of enrolling them and they have no idea what fee levels will be as a result of grant levels set by government," he said.

"When you think about it, we're less than 18 months now until we need new legislation."

The Greens have called for school funding to be "based on need, so that every child in Australia has access to a high-quality, affordable education".

"If we are to prepare Australia for the challenges of the 21st century, if we are to be a clever nation, an innovative nation and a fair nation, we need to make sure every child in the country has the same opportunities for high-quality school education, regardless of how much money their parents have or where they live," leader Christine Milne said in a statement.

"It's a bad look from the Prime Minister that she chose to speak at the Independent Schools Council of Australia forum guaranteeing them more funding, before seeing the 6,700 public schools represented by the AEU which have gathered [outside Parliament House] today to meet their MPs."

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Angelo Gavrielatos and Christine Milne speak outside Parliament House (ABC News)

Topics: education, educational-resources, schools, primary-schools, public-schools, secondary-schools, federal-government, government-and-politics, australia

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