Dozens of local teachers will join NSW Teachers Federation President Henry Rajendra, Gilmore MP, Fiona Phillips, and Labor Whitlam candidate, Carol Berry, at Warilla High School today to rally against potential cuts to the historic $4.8 billion education funding agreement if there is a change of government.
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EVENT DETAILS
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The rally is part of a major election campaign launched by the NSW Teachers Federation to protect the landmark funding agreement that will fully fund NSW public schools for the first time in history and transform educational outcomes for students across the state.
"This historic agreement will increase funding to NSW public schools from the current 91 percent of what they need to 100 percent," said Henry Rajendra, President of the NSW Teachers Federation. "Once implemented, this additional funding is equivalent to a 20 percent increase in teachers for our public schools."
In the federal electorate of Gilmore, there are 42 public schools educating 15,368 students, and in Whitlam, there are 46 public schools educating 15,891 students who stand to benefit from this crucial funding boost.
The recently signed agreement between the state and federal governments will increase the federal contribution to the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) from 20% to 25% and end accounting practices that artificially inflated state contributions by counting depreciation costs.
Teachers are concerned that a Dutton-led government could jeopardise this vital funding, pointing to Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume's public doubts about the agreement and the previous Coalition government's education funding cuts in 2013.
"Public schools in NSW educate proportionally 2.6 times the number of students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds compared to private schools, and 2.9 times the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students," Rajendra added. "Without this funding, students will continue to miss out on essential resources."
Over a decade of targeted neglect has resulted in a widening achievement gulf, with the gap between high and low socio-economic students expanding from 1.4 years to 2.3 years in Year 3, and from 4.4 years to 5.1 years in Year 9.
"While public schools have been operating with only 91 percent of the resources they need, private schools have been receiving more than 100 percent. Recent research shows that 59.6% of private schools in NSW now receive more combined government funding per student than comparable public schools. This agreement finally addresses this inequity."
The education funding agreement complements the Albanese Government's broader education initiatives, including Fee-Free TAFE and a $12.6 billion investment in vocational education.
Duncan McDonald: 0407 284 808 or Nick Lucchinelli 0422229032
