Education campaign for our future
From the Australian Education Union. In Australia the federal government shares responsibility with state and territory governments for funding schools. Money is provided for both the ongoing operations of schools and for the capital works (new buildings and equipment) that schools need.
Unfortunately at a federal government level there has been a dramatic decrease in the share of funding going to public schools.
Public schools teach almost 70 per cent of students but they receive only about a third of the money allocated by the federal government on schools.
To put it in dollar terms, the federal government spends $1,051 per public school student compared to $4,515 per private school student. (Source: Productivity Commission Report)
The critical under-funding of our nation’s public schools was highlighted in a recent OECD report that ranked Australia second last (26/27) out of developed nations in terms of direct public spending on public institutions.
What is Needed?
Independent research commissioned by the federal and state education ministers shows that an extra $2.9 billion a year is needed for our public schools to ensure that all children receive a high-quality education.
Extra investment is required for our two million children educated in Australia’s public schools to help:
* Reduce class sizes: Australia has large primary class sizes compared to most OECD countries. With extra investment we can ensure class sizes go down.
* Provide greater individual attention for students who need it: Research completed for the Federal Government warned of the need for a major investment in literacy and numeracy programs and specialist teachers to meet the needs of students who are struggling. We need to ensure the children that need extra help get it.
* Access to modern learning environments and equipment: Every Australian child deserves to be taught in a school with modern buildings, learning spaces, music, art and sports facilities. A recent independent report has recommended an additional $23 billion investment over the next 12 years to improve buildings and facilities in public schools.
Join the campaign
http://www.forourfuture.org.au/about.html
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