Teachers welcome call for massive investment

AUSTRALIA – The Australian Education Union (AEU) welcomes comments by federal Labor MP Julia Irwin in Parliament recently calling for a massive funding investment for public education.

AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos urged the Prime Minister to use the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on 17th November to address chronic underfunding in public education.

“The Rudd Government has inherited over a decade of neglect in public education from the Howard years,” said Mr Gavrielatos.

“Prime Minister Rudd has guaranteed funding for private schools with legislation due in the Senate shortly.

“The Rudd Government must now ensure that new funding agreements due to be finalised with the states in November deliver substantial investment for public schools.

“Labor MP Julia Irwin is absolutely right when she says we are a long way from equity, excellence and social inclusion in our education system unless the COAG process delivers new funding for public schools.

“Current Commonwealth schools funding arrangements exacerbate social divides when they should be working to ameliorate them.

“There will be no Education Revolution without a significant new investment in public schools.

“Public schools teach the vast majority of Australian children but receive barely a third of Federal Government education funding.

“A government taskforce found public schools need at least AU$2.9 billion (NZ$3.4 billion) in additional annual funding to be able to ensure a high quality education for every child.

“Additional funding would mean public schools could lower class sizes, provide more individual attention for those students who need it and upgrade infrastructure.

“A recent survey of around 1400 public school principals across Australia found nearly 70 per cent believe their school buildings and facilities need a major upgrade.