[Greens-Media] SENATOR KERRY NETTLE: Government schools funding system puts special interest groups above quality

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

04.05.06

Government schools funding system puts special interest groups above
quality


Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today described Education Minister Julie
Bishop's claim that the current federal schools funding formula is 'fair
and transparent' as 'rubbish', calling on future funding changes to
focus on quality not special interests groups.

"The Education Minister's obsession with choice over quality is holding
back the Australian school system," Senator Nettle said.

"Both public and private schools are being hampered by a funding system
which wastes dollars on schools which are already rich and opening new
schools which are not delivering high quality education.

"Mr Beazley and Ms Bishop should be focusing on quality and getting
value for money and ignore the pressures from special interest groups.

"The key principle to guide schools funding must be value for money.
Spending tax payers money on top ups for the richest schools and start
up grants for poor quality schools is wasteful.

"The real issue is quality. The public school system needs significantly
more funds to continue to deliver quality education to all comers and
the private school system needs much closer regulation to ensure it is
spending taxpayers money wisely.

"The Greens are calling for a national inquiry into the funding of
schooling in Australia to recommend an alternative to the wasteful
federal funding formula."
  

Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146