Federal Government funds better conditions in private schools

By Angelo Gavrielatos

Private school teachers in some schools are not performing playground duty and new teachers are working on reduced teaching loads.

Federation will be arguing for similar provisions for all public schools.

A report in The Sun-Herald October 23, described the employment of teachers aides in private schools to perform playground duty, and a series of other duties, hence freeing staff to concentrate on other, professional teaching and learning duties.

In addition to this, and probably more significant in the context of the future well-being of the profession, beginning teachers are being given a reduced teaching load, at least in their first year of teaching, allowing for a smoother transition and induction into the profession. These two matters once again highlight the fact that private schools are awash with government money.

The extreme funding policies of the Howard Government which favour private schools at the expense of public schools are well documented. During 2005-2008 the Federal Government's funding regime will allocate 73.7 per cent of federal government recurrent funding to approximately 32 per cent of students in private schools. More precisely 68 per cent of students, in government schools, will attract 26.3 per cent of federal government recurrent funding, the 11 per cent of students in private non-Catholic systemic schools will attract 27.7 per cent of federal government recurrent funding and the 21 per cent of students in Catholic systemic schools will attract 16 per cent of federal government recurrent funding.

The report of the Public Education Council, released earlier this year, notes that "under current policy settings, both state and Commonwealth governments are contributing increased public funding to non-government schools with the combined effect of increasing the gap between resources available in public schools and those in an increasing proportion of non-government schools".

Of the NSW Government it notes, "the point has now been reached where the NSW Government's 25 per cent funding link for the non-government sector is compromising its principal responsibility, namely to provide public education of the highest standard."

Angelo Gavrielatos is the Senior Vice President.

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