Media Releases
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2023
December
Education ministers meeting today in Sydney must make ending the underfunding of public schools their top priority so teachers can increase the support and opportunities students receive.
The Australian Education Union strongly supports a push by State and Territory governments to get the Albanese Government to substantially increase its investment in public schools saying the future of children across the nation is at stake.
Australia has defied a global trend of declining scores in the international PISA test but an alarming increase in teacher shortages and entrenched achievement gaps between students from different backgrounds and locations make clear the critical importance of full funding of public schools.
The Australian Education Union says the interim report of the Senate Inquiry into increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms has failed to capture and address the complex issues that impact on teaching and learning in schools.
November
An open letter to the Prime Minister calling for the full funding of public schools by 2028 at the latest has been signed by more than fifty organisations including principal, parent, disability, community groups and unions.
A new report calls for an end to the school funding crisis that has left public schools in every state and the NT underfunded while private schools are overfunded by hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
Several of Australia’s prominent community leaders will join the Australian Education Union at Parliament House today for a meeting with the Minister for Education, The Hon Jason Clare, to discuss the urgent need for the Federal Government to commit to their election promise to fully fund public schools.
October
The Australian Education Union today welcomed the recruitment campaign launched by the Prime Minister but said a far greater investment in the teaching profession and public schools was needed to end chronic shortages and ensure teachers have the time and support to meet the needs of every child.
A national road trip involving principals, teachers, parents and community members is being launched on World Teachers’ Day today in Adelaide to help secure full funding for public schools.
The Australian Education Union says the new National Skills Agreement, including an additional $3.7 billion in Commonwealth investment, brings to life the Albanese Government’s promise to rebuild the capacity of TAFE.
September
The voices and expertise of early childhood teachers and educators must be central to the development of the Preschool Outcomes Measure, says the Australian Education Union.
The Federal Government’s ambitious plans to boost Australian’s skills and knowledge, outlined in the employment white paper today, will require a properly supported TAFE teaching workforce.
Teachers are being forced to spend hundreds of dollars of their own money each year to ensure that students do not miss out on vital education activities due to the underfunding of public schools by governments.
The latest Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s ‘Education at a Glance’ report shows that Australia significantly underperforms against most OECD countries when it comes to investing in public schools.
To mark the occasion of National TAFE Day, the Australian Education Union will be joined by Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor, who will announce the winners of a new national photography competition in Canberra today.
August
A new report published by The Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work reveals the economic payoff of fully funding public schools would be two to four times the annual cost.
The release today of the 2023 NAPLAN results, showing significant numbers of students across Australia require additional support in literacy and numeracy, reinforces the need for full funding of public schools.
The Australian Education Union is launching a national campaign today outside Parliament House in Canberra to secure the full funding of public schools.
July
The Australian Education Union (AEU) has proudly endorsed the “Yes” case for a Voice to Parliament, published by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) ahead of the historic referendum on constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
New figures reveal the vital investment the Albanese Government must make to help end the underfunding of public schools and allow principals and teachers to cut class sizes and provide more individual attention and support for every child.
The Australian Education Union is calling for all public schools to be fully funded by 2028 to lift the one-on-one support children receive in the classroom and give teachers the time and resources to meet the needs of every child.
The Federal Government’s new consultation paper for the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System, released today, highlights the extent of the deep inequities in Australia’s education system.
June
The shocking disparity in funding for private schools and public schools, revealed today shows the urgent need for greater public school funding.
The full extent of the inequity in Australia’s school funding system has been exposed, with internal Department of Education figures showing a massive overfunding of private schools.
May
Every Australian is invited to join the celebration of public education day by sharing their #ProudToBePublic story on social media.