Released 23/06/2017
With passage of their school funding legislation, the Commonwealth Government needs to provide the details, school by school and year by year.
This has been a frustrating process with very little detail available and poor engagement with States and Territories and the non-government sector who are responsible for operating their schools.
As we committed during the 2016 ACT election, the ACT Government has consistently called for the Commonwealth Government to honour the existing six-year agreement. I have also asked Federal Minister Simon Birmingham to acknowledge the significant school improvement and funding reform efforts already underway.
Over the months leading up to this point, I have advocated for a fair share for all ACT schools and students across all sectors.
Minister Birmingham has instead pushed his plan through the Federal Parliament with little regard for what is actually happening in Canberra schools.
The ACT Government has over several decades prioritised investment in education and is already contributing above the new expected minimum share to both government and non-government schools.
Minister Birmingham needs to provide the ACT Government with detailed information about the actual impact on individual schools.
I remain concerned about a number of key issues where the Federal Minister is not engaging cooperatively.
Despite short term extension of the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to Early Childhood Education the Commonwealth has failed to lock in long term funding for educating children in their early years despite mounting evidence of its life-long educational impact, particularly for vulnerable groups.
All children must be provided with low cost access to quality education in their years before school and the Commonwealth Government has an obligation to help meet the cost.
The legislation that passed the Senate also retains provisions that will give the Commonwealth Government excessive power to dictate an agenda in schools and make the ACT Government enforce this agenda in all schools, including non-government schools, with the potential for funding to be put at risk if the Commonwealth’s demands are not met.
ACT school students don’t need another test like the Federal Minister’s proposed year 1 phonics test. Our schools already work with kindergarten students to evaluate their learning needs.
I would also be concerned if conservative members of the Coalition Government tried to push conservative ideology on our community, for example, by banning efforts to make our schools safe and inclusive for LGBTQI students.
The cost of overseeing the Commonwealth’s schools agenda has also been pushed onto the ACT Government.
- Statement ends -
Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
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