2020-07-03
A comparison of state and federal funding agreements has exposed the Andrews Labor Government’s woeful rate of public school funding.
Victoria currently spends less on public schools than any other state or territory in Australia, and with its current agreement, will be the last state to reach the agreed funding rate of 75 per cent.
The government’s agreement even allows it to claim additional expenditure in the 4 per cent accounting trick, which allows states to claim non-school based expenditure towards their 75 per cent target.
Victorian Greens spokesperson for education, Sam Hibbins, said it was time for the government to place greater value on the importance of education by fully funding our public schools.
Recent analysis by school advocacy group Save Our Schools has shown that funding for students and Catholic and independent schools in Victoria has grown almost 15 times faster than for state schools in the past decade.
Quotes attributable Victorian Greens spokesperson for education, Sam Hibbins MP:
“Comparing school funding agreements exposes the Andrews Labor Government’s low rate of public school funding.
“Less funding for public schools means less for disadvantaged students, less for First Nations students, less for students with a disability and less for teachers.
“Fully funding our public schools would help ensure that every student can attend a high quality, local public school regardless of their background, circumstance or location.”