2018-11-22
The Australian Greens have announced plans for a huge investment in public schools, committing an additional $499 million for Western Australian public schools over the next four years and $2.2 billion over the next ten years. Under this plan, all public schools would reach 100% of their Schooling Resource Standard by 2023. This will ensure every public school in Western Australia has the funding the needs to meet the educational needs of their students, no matter their postcode or their parents’ bank balance.
In addition to this, the Greens will increase funding to the existing Capital Grants Program to $400 million a year to improve infrastructure in all schools across Australia. This fund will include public schools, which are currently excluded, and guarantee 80% of the fund, $320 million a year, for public schools only.
The Greens (WA) Candidate for Moore, Daniel Vujcich, said "The Greens are proudly the party of public education. For too long, public schools have had to wait at the back of the queue while Governments prioritise already overfunded private schools. The Greens will ensure that, for the first time, every public school is fully funded.
“My oldest child is lucky enough to go to an excellent local public school, but excellent education should not be a postcode lottery. As a society, we should strive to ensure that all kids are given the best possible start in life, and that good quality education is affordable, accessible and adequately resourced.
“Ninety-three percent of public school teachers dip into their own pocket to buy stationery and classroom equipment, and nearly half buy library resources and textbooks to make up for the lack of Government funding. It doesn’t have to be this way.
“A world class education can only happen in quality and comfortable learning environments for students and teachers. At the moment many public school students have to sweat it out in demountable classrooms with no air conditioning, and we are witnessing widening inequality between public and private schools in terms of the resources available to students. The Greens will ensure disadvantaged and needy public schools get the assistance to upgrade and build infrastructure,” he concluded.