[Greens-Media] Firth's disadvantaged schools visit opportunity to reverse funding cut

[John Kaye]

Firth's disadvantaged schools visit opportunity to reverse funding cut
 
Media release: 4 November 2008
 
The Greens are calling on NSW Education Minister Verity Firth to use
her visit to two South-Western Sydney disadvantaged schools today to
restore specialist funding to some of the state's most disadvantaged
schools. 
 
Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "The NSW Department of Education
unilaterally changed the selection criteria causing twenty-seven public
schools to be dropped from the Priority Action program.
 
"The Minister will today see for herself the damage her Department will
do if schools like Claymore, Sarah Redfern and Shalvey Public lose their
funding for extra teachers and specialist programs to address the
effects of concentrated disadvantage.
 
"If she maintains an open mind, she will realise that the Department's
decision to base funding purely on a parent survey was overly
simplistic.
 
"Restoring all twenty-seven schools would cost about $5.9 million a
year.
 
"While Minister Firth is visiting Claymore and Sarah Redfern Public, I
will be writing to NSW's twenty-seven wealthiest private schools, asking
them to return 29 per cent of their state subsidies to the Treasurer.
 
"The principals of these elite institutions will be invited to
recognise the profound injustice of accepting a $20.3 million annual
gift from the state government while public schools serving the state's
most disadvantaged communities are cut off from specialist funding.
 
"The principals of the twenty-seven schools like Ascham, Abbotsleigh
and Kambala can provide the state with enough money to continue the
specialist programs at all twenty-seven public schools.  
 
"The Greens are asking Knox to give up less than a third of the $1.3
million a year it receives from the NSW government, so that Blairmount
Public can keep its specialist teacher for learning difficulties.
 
"Education Minister Verity Firth claims NSW cannot afford $400,000 to
support schools like Shalvey Public and Doonside High yet she gives more
than $2.3 million a year to Sydney Grammar and Newington.
 
"It is time to restore some justice to school funding in NSW,” Dr Kaye
said. 
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000