2021-10-18
The Victorian Greens have called on the state and federal governments to revisit public school funding, after an independent costing found they were short-changing public schools by around $1 billion each year.
The costing, obtained by the Greens, showed that it would cost around $6 billion dollars over seven years to bring Victorian schools up to 100 per cent of the Gonski recommended School Resource Standard.
The costing also showed that private schools were being overfunded in relation to the SRS to the tune of almost $600 million over seven years.
Victorian public schools already have some of the lowest funding per student in the country.
Victorian Greens education spokesperson, Sam Hibbins, said that as students return to schools, more funding will be required to help students recover after such long absences from in-classroom learning.
By making up the $1 billion dollar shortfall each year, the government could:
- Permanently employ more teachers and support staff to help students catch-up
- Ensure all schools have access to high-quality mental health practitioners to assess and treat students through the school-based service
- Abolish school fees to reduce costs for struggling parents, whilst maintaining income for schools
Quotes attributable Victorian Greens education spokesperson, Sam Hibbins MP:
"As our students emerge from lockdown there will be a lot of healing, and lot of catching up on learning to be done.
“It’s time for our state and federal governments to re-visit their school funding deal, that left public schools billions of dollars short, private schools over-funded, and Victorian schools some of the lowest funded in the country.
“By delivering more funding for public schools, the government could help students catch-up, provide mental health support and reduce cost for parents."