By Noreen Navin
SYDNEY — The federal governments' education funding bill has been passed by the Senate with 23 amendments. If the bill is passed by the House of Representatives, it will result in windfall increases to elite private schools like the Kings School, near Parramatta, which will receive an extra $1.4 million by 2004, and Newington College, Stanmore, which will gain an extra $440,000 on top of the $1.4 million already allocated to it.
Every one of the 61 "category 1" private schools will be better off under the scheme by an average $900,000 by 2004. A typical category 1 school is Kings: it has 15 cricket fields, five basketball courts, 12 tennis courts, 13 rugby fields, three soccer pitches, two climbing walls, a 50-metre swimming pool, a gymnasium, a boatshed, an indoor rifle range, state of the art computer facilities and a theatre.
Not only will the facilities of private schools not considered when funds are allocated, but their revenue generating capacity (in terms of fees of up to $11,500 a year), their investments, property ownership, text book allowances and GST exemptions is not factored in. Federal education minister David Kemps' "socio-economic status" funding formula also does not take into account students' families personal wealth. Kemps' bill will see the 12 richest schools allocated an extra $27.3 million.
Public schools like Yagoona Public School, in Sydney's south-west — which does not have a hall or a covered assembly area, lacks a well-stocked library, adequate space for oversized classes, and decent technology, textbooks and musical instruments — can expect to receive is an extra $4000 by 2004, just $5 per student.
On the other hand, the wealthy Bankstown Grammar school at Georges Hall, with a similar number of enrollments as Yagoona Public School, currently receives a total of $1,321,420.62. Under the proposed system, Bankstown Grammar will receive $2,250,693 by 2004.
The Teachers Federation's (NSWTF) strategy is to encourage teachers, principals and parents to lobby politicians and express their disdain and disgust at Coalition's subsidisation of elite private schools.
A public meeting was held at the Mt. Pritchard Community Club on October 23. A petition was circulated calling on NSWTF officials to organise rallies to protest against existing funding models. It was signed by 400 people, and then by a further 120 NSWTF councillors, and presented at the union's October council meeting. NSWTF president Sue Simpson argued against a motion (and the petition) calling for a campaign of mass rallies.
A rank and file group within NSWTF was set up during the course of the recent salaries and status campaign. The Activist Teachers Network (ATN) believes that the below inflation salary deal should not have been accepted.
In response to the federal government's private school funding proposals, the ATN organised a protest at the Kings School on October 26. Another protest is to be held on November 30, 4pm, at Newington College Stanmore. To be part of the fight for public education, contact Noreen on (02) 9716 0736 or John on (02) 9558 7051 or 0438 641587.