Labor MPs have slammed the federal government’s failure to commit to the final two years of Gonski education reforms, saying $39.7 million will be ripped out of Sunbury and Macedon Ranges schools.
McEwen MP Rob Mitchell, Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters and state Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the government’s decision would leave the average state school almost $500,000 worse off.
“This is precious funding that pays for things like extra support for teachers in the classroom and special reading programs for kids falling behind,” Ms Chesters said.
Figures provided by Labor MPs show Sunbury College stands to lose at least $1 million in funding promised under the fifth and sixth years of the national agreement.
Gisborne Secondary College and Sunbury Downs College will be at least $900,000 and $700,000 worse off, respectively, while Kyneton Secondary College stands to lose at least $600,000.
LISA CHESTERS
Other schools affected by withdrawn funding include Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School ($700,000) and New Gisborne, Sunbury Heights, Goonawarra and Kismet Park primary schools (all $300,000).
Many others stand to lose between $100,000 and $200,000.
In a speech to the Independent Schools Council of Australia last week, federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham blasted state Labor for having the ‘‘gall’’ to complain when it, itself had failed to invest.
‘‘The federal per-student funding for students in state government schools is 66 per cent higher, in real terms, than 10 years ago,’’ he said.
Gisborne Secondary College principal Andrew Robertson said while it was hard to quantify how much the school stood to lose, ‘‘the big years were always the fifth and sixth’’.
He said the extra Gonski money would have gone towards more quality maths teachers, extra tuition and reducing class sizes.
‘‘State schools do a lot of heavy lifting. Any money that does comes through is going to be well used.’’
– with The Age
