$2.9 billion annual funding shortfall

By Maree O’Halloran

Both the federal and state governments have chronically underfunded public schools. Public schools need another $2.9 billion per annum to reach the National Goals of Schooling. In 2003 an inter-governmental taskforce estimated that the shortfall was $2.4 billion, which, when indexed, now amounts to $2.9 billion.

This $2.9 billion is the Australian Education Union's national claim for public schools. NSW's share would be approximately $1 billion per annum.

Federation is committed to public education of the highest quality for every community and child. The resources released by a $1 billion investment increase would, for example, fund smaller class sizes, better maintenance and infrastructure and more ESL teachers.

Federation members are also carrying an excessive workload in part to "fill the gaps" caused by the funding shortfall. Other unnecessary workload is caused by continual changes in Departmental policies, practices and directives. Reducing excessive workload would mean a better work-life balance for the profession.

While both levels of government must increase funding to public education, the Federal Coalition Government has a massive surplus and has chosen since 1996 to make greater real increases in funding to private schools than to public schools.

For every dollar directly spent on a student in a public school, the Federal Government's expenditure on private school students has increased as follows:

1996: $3.50

2001: $4.00

2005: $5.00

These increases are policy decisions, they are not caused by enrolment increases.

Federation is running a paid advertising campaign about the funding shortfall and is also contributing to the Australian Education Union's television commercial which accuses Prime Minister John Howard of neglecting public education. The Prime Minister says the advertisement is dishonest because the aggregated state and federal funding figure was not used. The Prime Minister likes the aggregated figure because it masks the deliberate policy decisions made by his government.

At the end of this year, the Federal Government will take its policies to the polls. Where the Federal Government has a choice over education expenditures, it chooses to direct 73.7 per cent of recurrent expenditure to private schools.

Federal governments have not always made this choice. Until the early 1980s, most direct federal funding went to public schools. By 1996, the split was roughly 55 per cent private and 45 per cent public.

Australian business has also made a national claim for education and training of $7.8 billion over the next three years. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) released its claim on April 26. The funding claim is part of 153 recommendations, some of which are rejected by Federation. However, ACCI did draw attention to risible increases for education in real terms in successive federal budgets compared with large increases for defence.

It's hard to see "Australia rising" (to paraphrase the theme of the Prime Minister's 'headland' speeches) when John Howard's government has neglected public education so shamefully. Public education and a fair industrial relations system are both pillars of Australia's commitment to egalitarianism and democracy. John Howard has gone too far by attacking and undermining such important institutions.

The call in a Treasury Working Paper for a HECS-type system in TAFE (April 19) is yet another symptom of under funding in education and training. HECS in TAFE is a lazy and short-sighted solution to a problem which is the responsibility of state and federal governments. If funding for TAFE had been sustained at 1996 levels, then there would have been no reason for such an increase.

Opposition leader Kevin Rudd continues to face a credibility gap when it comes to public education. The April 2 "President Writes" took issue with Kevin Rudd about the contradiction between Federal Labor's "needs-based" policy and its guarantee that no private school would lose funding with the indexation nexus being maintained.

Since that time Mr Rudd has made only one reference to public schools. In a speech to the National Press Club on April 17, Mr Rudd said:

"A real choice for a quality education demands a high quality public school system available for all parents who want it, alongside a vibrant private system."

While federal Labor has begun to spell out its industrial relations policy, there has yet to be any announcement about funding for public schools or TAFE colleges. Federal Labor's industrial relations policy represents a significant improvement on the Coalition's. Although Federation has grave reservations about aspects of the policy, at least the Opposition leader was able to say on April 27 in his address to the National ALP Conference: "I intend to throw out Mr Howard's WorkChoices laws lock, stock and barrel."

We need that sort of commitment from Labor when it comes to the Federal Government's iniquitous education funding policies.

Meanwhile, new NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca opposed federal Education Minister Julie Bishop's harebrained performance pay proposals at the meeting of federal and state education Ministers in Darwin on April 12 and 13. The Federal Minister's proposals have met fierce public opposition. For example, Professor Jo-Anne Reid from Charles Sturt University said: "It would be entirely unethical to pay teachers on the results their children get." (Daily Liberal, April 17) Commentator Hugh Mackay said that Julie Bishop's "obsession with performance-based pay for school teachers has raised serious questions about her judgement, her sensitivity and her grasp of reality". (The Age, April 14)

Minister Della Bosca came to the education portfolio bringing as Director-General, Michael Coutts-Trotter. This was a direct political appointment with none of the so-called "merit" procedures that government insists are important for promotions positions in schools. This is the third time that the State Government has appointed a Director-General without qualifications in education. Such appointments continue to undermine the value of the profession.

Mr Coutts-Trotter gave his first address to a large audience of teachers at the joint Department/Federation anti-racism conference in the Federation's auditorium on April 28. The clear message from the Federation and the Department at the Conference was that racism in all its forms will be opposed in public schools and TAFE colleges.

Maree O'Halloran is the President.

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