Premiers must fight for education future of our students at COAG
The Australian Education Union is urging Premiers from across the country to use today’s Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting as an opportunity to fight for the interest of school children in their respective states.
Correna Haythorpe, Federal President of the AEU said states have rejected the Government’s agenda of education cuts, and it’s time the Turnbull Government commits to Gonski needs-based funding.
“The Turnbull Government has tried to railroad states into their education cuts, but State Education Ministers and Premiers continued to stand strong in opposition to these cuts. Turnbull's school funding plan will see $3.2 billion ripped from the educa- tion of our children over the next two years,” said Ms Haythorpe.
“Prime Minister Turnbull’s policy will entrench resource gaps for our schools and that will impact on our students, particularly those who experience disadvantage in our communities.
Ms Haythorpe said that under the Government’s proposal public schools will be left behind.
“The Prime Minister’s plan will lock public schools into an inherently flawed model. If we go down this path, 84 per cent of public schools will be below the minimum Schooling Resources Standard by 2027, while two thirds of private schools will con- tinue to be over funded.
“State governments have done the numbers and have taken a strong position of op- position to this plan. Premiers know the Turnbull Government’s plan will not deliver genuine needs-based funding to their school children.
“Today's COAG is an opportunity for Premiers and Chief Ministers to continue to stand up for their students and to tell PM Turnbull that his school funding plan is not good enough for our kids,” said Ms Haythorpe.
The AEU leadership from around Australia will be in Hobart today, with local com- munity members, to show their support for Premiers and Chief Ministers who are fighting the Turnbull Government's education cuts.
