NEW England teachers have lashed out at the Federal Government over claims it has slashed funding in public schools.
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A Fair Funding Now campaign was launched this week with the region’s teachers on board.
It follows the Government’s decision to scrap the original Gonski funding agreement and implement a new model last year.
The Federation had said $26.38 million would be stripped from the region over two years and called on MP Barnaby Joyce for answers.
“The original Gonski funding agreements were terminated by Mr Joyce’s Coalition Government,” New England federation organiser Susan Armstead said.
“Now the deceitful Gonski 2.0 delivers only about half of what was due to be allocated under the full Gonski model.
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“Mr Joyce has stripped away the future funding necessary for public schools to reach the minimum Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) upon which the Gonski model was based.
“It also strips future funding from the equity loadings that support students in small schools who need additional support, such as the loading for school size.
“Most small schools will now never reach the SRS. Mr Joyce must explain why public small school in his electorate have been targeted.”
A spokesman for Mr Joyce said the region’s schools would not be losing out.
“The Teachers Federation claim New England schools will lose out but this is simply not true,” he said.
“For example, based on current figures, total school funding for Tamworth High School will grow by 18.7 per cent in the period 2018-2021 and 51.4 per cent during 2018-2027. Total Commonwealth funding for Tamworth High in 2018 is $2,914,112 and will grow to $3,458,337 in 2021.
“Schools across the New England are experiencing similar relative growth, even small schools such as Bullimbal School which the Teachers Federation say will lose funding when in fact its total Commonwealth funding will increase from $509,335 in 2018 to $604,460 in 2021.
“Based on current estimates, recurrent Commonwealth funding to all schools across Australia will increase by $4.0 billion.”
