Tebbutt ignores funding review

By Sally Edsall

Five years after the Grimshaw Review on Private School Funding was first set up by then Education Minister John Aquilina, the NSW Government has released the findings.

In April 2002, part 1 of the report was released. It dealt with issues to do with registration and accreditation of private schools, teaching standards, student welfare and discipline policies, curriculum and financial and educational reporting.

The second part of the report, on funding, was withheld until after the March 2003 state election. Last week, it was quietly released, along with an indication from Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt that "the Government will not be proceeding with changes proposed to the per capita funding arrangements for non-government schools".

The report found that while submissions differed in views about whether or not private schools should receive government funding and if so, how much, "the overwhelming majority of submissions agreed on the imperative for a new funding approach that would address current imbalances and inconsistencies and ensure that the provision of assistance is targeted more effectively on need."

The review puts state government funding into context with respect to the impact of federal government policy and states that: "...Government funding for non-government schooling, has advanced incrementally so that, for most non-government schools, government funding now comprises the bulk of their income."

The review is based on the assumption that current levels of state government funding will remain. Whatever the outcome, it would make little or no difference to the obscene levels of government funding with which the private school sector is awash.

Federation claimed from the start that the review was a sham. This view has been vindicated by the actions of the government in sitting on the funding section for nearly two years, and then announcing "business as usual".

The final report of the Public Education Council, before it was abolished by Minister Tebbutt, stated: "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 the resources available in public schools and those in an increasing proportion of non-government schools. 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."

Federation calls on the State Government to implement recommendation 1 of the NSW Public Education Council which states:

"To strengthen public confidence in the future of public schooling, the Public Education Council recommends:
"1.1 that the NSW government affirms its commitment to the principle set out in the NSW Education Act (1990) 'that the principal responsibility of the State in the education of children is the provision of public education' by:

• "ensuring that all government policies and priorities in education and training are consistent with this principle;
• "establishing a climate in which school and system leaders are encouraged to take a proactive role in advocating publicly the benefits, achievements and challenges of public education."

Sally Edsall is a Research Officer.

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