[Greens-Media] National Curriculum needs equal and adequate funding

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

National Curriculum needs equal and adequate funding

Canberra, Wednesday 3 December 2008

A national uniform curriculum will fail to deliver more uniform
educational outcomes unless it is backed up with equal and adequate
funding, the Australian Greens said today.

"Kevin Rudd's Education Revolution needs to be about much more than a
stoush over private school funding and a national curriculum," said
Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education Spokesperson, Senator
Christine Milne.

"The Greens support the development and implementation of a national
curriculum, and support its inclusion as a condition of funding for
non-government schools.

"However, the fact remains that, to deliver a national curriculum that
gives every child the opportunity to achieve their full potential, all
our schools will require equal and adequate funding.

"A national uniform curriculum will not of itself deliver national
uniform educational outcomes without the money to back it up.

"It is grossly unfair that the Government is prepared to guarantee
funding to non-government schools for the next four years while public
schools have no such guarantee and are left to the vagaries of State
budgets.

"Whilst non-government schools will have the certainty to plan for four
years, with their $2.7 billion in over-payments locked in, public
schools will have to wait and see each year how State Government coffers
are affected by the global financial meltdown, reduced GST revenue and
reduced resource royalties.

"I am extremely disappointed that the Government, Coalition, Family
First and Nick Xenophon all opposed my amendment to restrict the private
school funding guarantee to two years, a move that would have brought
forward the Government's review of private education funding to before
the 2010 Federal election.

"The amendment would also have enabled Parliament to address what I
expect to be an ever increasing gap between the stinginess of State
Governments in funding public education and the generosity of the
Commonwealth in funding private schools.

"A genuine education revolution would address the dysfunctional
education funding arrangements that see the majority of Australian
school children receive less government support than their
non-government schooled peers."

Tim Hollo 
Media and Communications Adviser 
Senator Christine Milne 
Australian Greens Deputy Leader
ph: (02) 6277 3588 
mob: 0437 587 562
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