Across the board increases for schools

Only the Coalition is genuinely committed to across the board increases for both government and non-government schools, said the Shadow Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne today.

“Our policy is to maintain the current funding plus yearly six per cent indexation, meaning over four years both government and non-government schools would receive recurrent funding increases from a Coalition Government,” Mr Pyne said.

“What we know is that under modelling leaked over the weekend, one in three schools will be worse off under Labor’s policy, including 2,330 government schools,” he said.

“Last night on Lateline, Schools Minister Peter Garrett said this leaked modelling was the ‘Gonski panel modelling’ which is based on a $5 billion increase per year for schools.

“If one in three schools go backwards with all the Gonski funding in place, how much more will this Government have to find to live up to the expectations they have created?

“The Coalition is committed to funding certainty. I call on the Gillard Government to extend the current funding model to give schools and parents the certainty they need to plan for the future,” Mr Pyne said.

August 21, 2012