[Greens-Media] Funding cuts to public education require urgent response

[John Kaye]

Funding cuts to public education require urgent response
 
Media release: 25 May 2011
 
Data released by Sydney University education expert Jim McMorrow shows that public schools face losing $332 million in federal funding over the next three years while non-government schools will be gifted a $939 million increase, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye. (http://j.mp/jmLz4J)
 
Dr Kaye said: "The Howard era bias to private schools is alive and well.
 
"Over the last four years it was masked by big increases in national partnership special purpose funds.
 
"Now that many of those programs are ending, the real impact on public education is clear.
 
"The NSW government operates the nation's biggest school system and cannot sit by and allow federal funds to flow out of public education into private schools.
 
"Each year this state gifts $874 million to the non-government sector.
 
"Education Minister Adrian Piccoli could compensate NSW public schools for the $110 million they will lose without affecting his budget bottom line.
 
"All he needs to do is reduce the state's grants to private schools by 12 percent.
 
"A good place to start would be the very wealthy institutions like King's and Barker which continue to pull in $66 million a year.
 
"The NSW Coalition government must show some real courage in securing a better deal for public schools," 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