Public shortfall, private windfall

While public schools nationwide require an additional $2.9 billion in recurrent funding to ensure that the National Schools Resourcing Standard necessary to achieve the National Goals of Schooling can be met, private schools are being funded at $2.071 billion beyond what the Howard Government's socio economic status (SES) model allows for 2005−2008.

Greens NSW has analysed Senate Estimates data regarding the SES model.

The Schools Resource Taskforce, established by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), calculated previously that an additional $2.9 billion in recurrent funding was needed for public schools.

The funds paid out above the SES modelling occur because of a "grandfather clause" which maintains a private school's funding level if the SES formula would leave it worse off.

Greens NSW education spokesman John Kaye said: "The Howard Government shelters 1445 private schools from the SES formula because it would have reduced their funding.

"These overpayments in excess of SES levels punch a massive hole through the Howard Government's justification for its private school funding regime.

"The Howard Government cannot have it both ways. Either they genuinely believe in their SES system or they don't. This is a $2 billion fudge to fill the gap between their ideology and the realities of the political power of the private school lobby. It is public education and the community that suffer.

"The amount of money involved is shocking. If the over-payments were taken away from these schools so that all private schools were funded on their correct SES ratings, then the Commonwealth funding of public education could be increased by more than 40 per cent.

Commenting on the private schools funding, Federation Deputy President Angelo Gavrielatos said: "With a government report exposing a $2.9 billion national shortfall in funding for public schools, the Howard Government's contempt for public schools is further exposed.

"The additional $2.9 billion in recurrent funding would assist in funding the...five identified priority demands to ensure that our public education system continues to deliver high quality education for all students."

"It's time the Howard government invested in the most precious of all national assets, children and public schools," Mr Gavrielatos said.

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