May 2 a day of Gonski action as campaign heats up prior to federal budget
1 May 2017
Section: News
With the federal budget due on May 9, and education minister Simon Birmingham scheduled to make an announcement about schools funding on May 4, the Gonski campaign continues to take the message of fair schools funding to the public.
Federation seeks clarification on Safe Schools
18 April 2017
Section: News
Federation is writing to the NSW Education Minister, Rob Stokes, to request more information about the decision to drop the Safe Schools program from NSW schools. In an announcement made over the Easter long weekend, Minister Stokes announced that once federal funding for the program runs out later this year, the state government would not continue to support the program, and would replace it with a new anti-bullying strategy.
NSW Education Minister speaks out for Gonski
7 April 2017
Section: News
NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes will continue to fight “very, very strongly” for the Federal Government to honour its obligation to fund the final two years of the NSW Gonski agreement, ABC Radio reported today ahead of the Education Council meeting in Hobart. Mr Stokes said: “We have a bi-lateral agreement and have met our obligations and we will be insisting the Commonwealth does likewise.”
Premier urged to demand that Federal Government fully funds Gonski agreement
6 April 2017
Section: News
The NSW Public Education Alliance has appealed to the NSW Premier to reject alternatives to the Gonski schools funding model. The Alliance comprises the organisations representing the parents, citizens, principals and teachers of NSW public schools. In a letter sent to the Premier yesterday, the Alliance asks Ms Berejiklian to act on her supportive public statements about securing the Gonski needs-based funding model, and demand that the Federal Government honour its obligations under the NSW Gonski agreement.
Voters reminded of the effects of TAFE funding cuts on their community
5 April 2017
Section: News
Central Coast voters are being reminded of the negative impacts the NSW Coalition’s funding cuts to TAFE are having on locals, before they cast their vote in the Gosford by-election on Saturday. The Liberal-Nationals’ Smart and Skilled privatisation policy forces TAFE to compete with private vocational education and training providers for much of its funding — the result being reduced government funding for TAFE.
NSW Parliament Stands up for Gonski
5 April 2017
Section: News
The campaign for the fair, equitable schools funding offered by the Gonski model has enjoyed strong support in NSW – and support that crosses party lines. In recent weeks, members of NSW parliament have renewed their support for Gonski funding, and the great work the funding is facilitating in NSW schools to lift student outcomes.
Support for members affected by natural disaster
4 April 2017
Section: News
On Tuesday, 4 April, Federation Executive authorised a number of financial support options for members affected by the recent floods. “Federation offers its support to affected members and their families at this time,” Acting General Secretary David Wynne said in an email sent to members in affected areas. The email provided details of the following assistance to members directly affected by natural disasters:
New ACTU leader gives a Gonski
18 March 2017
Section: News
New ACTU Secretary Sally McManus gave her support for the campaign to secure six years of the Gonski needs-based schools funding model when she addressed Federation’s March Council meeting this morning.
Wet, wet, wet – but Port Macquarie’s set for Gonski fight
16 March 2017
Section: News
Torrential rain (and even the lack of a Gonski Bus!) could not stop more than 80 teachers, parents and community members from attending The Great Gonski Gathering in Port Macquarie yesterday.
Gonski-rich Parkes seat hears Federation’s message
15 March 2017
Section: News
Splashes of green across the state’s north and central west marked Federation action in support of continued Gonski funding as members turned out from the Dubbo, Nyngan, Bourke and Walgett Teachers Associations to harness community support for the needs-based funding.
More than 50pc of students struggling in under-resourced schools: report
15 March 2017
Section: News
International data released today proves that Gonski is working and highlights the recklessness of Malcolm Turnbull’s $29 million cuts to education. The PISA and TIMSS data released today prove that adequately resourcing schools leads to better student performance.
200 parents hear Gonski good news as MP pledges support
15 March 2017
Section: News
Member for Macarthur, Labor’s Dr Mike Freelander pledged to fight for Gonski school funding to be continued in full at a local launch of the AEU’s Getting Results 2 publication at Sarah Redfern High School in Minto, in Sydney’s West. “I understand how Gonski funding makes a difference to schools,” Dr Freelander said, as Federation members explained to parents of students the crucial benefits Gonski funding had brought to Sarah Redfern High.
Knowing your students’ passions helps to engage them in learning
13 March 2017
Section: News
Getting to know your students is key to engaging them, the SBS Insight program “A Teacher Changed My Life” illustrated last week.
Attention! NSW Gonski Bus tour details
10 March 2017
Section: News
Listed here are the Gonski Bus activities planned for your area. Buses will enter NSW from Queensland (the northern bus) and Victoria (the southern bus).
Strength comes from collective voice, conference hears
10 March 2017
Section: News
The importance of principals working together to make positive change in public education and resist irrelevant accountability processes was covered…
Gonski bus campaign to fight Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts
1 March 2017
Section: News
The AEU’s “I Give a Gonski” Campaign will launch a national bus tour in Adelaide and Brisbane today to highlight the great results Gonski funding is delivering to schools and the threat to students from Malcolm Turnbull’s plan to scrap Gonski after this year. The Adelaide bus will be launched by South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill, and the Brisbane bus by Queensland Education Minister Kate Jones.
Workload stresses need to be addressed with adequate resources
15 February 2017
Section: News
Rising stress levels among principals has prompted a renewed call from the Australian Education Union for governments to properly resource schools. The Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey released by Teachers Health Fund reports the main cause of rising stress levels for principals is the “sheer quantity of administrative work” they are required to perform, plus a lack of time to focus on teaching and learning.
Closing the Gap education targets in jeopardy without full Gonski dollars
15 February 2017
Section: News
How can the Prime Minister cut schools funding when the target to halve the gap in reading and numeracy for Indigenous students by 2018 is not on track, Federation President Maurie Mulheron asked today. The Closing the Gap: Prime Minister’s Report 2017, published yesterday, states: “The latest data show of the eight areas measured (reading and numeracy for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9), only one (Year 9 numeracy) is on track.”
Turnbull’s “Alternative Facts” on schools funding
1 February 2017
Section: News
Malcolm Turnbull today repeated the claim that school funding has increased by 50 per cent in the past decade’ in a speech at the Canberra Press Club. This figure is one that has been ‘pulled out of the air’, according to Federation President Maurie Mulheron, and has not been substantiated with any evidence by either the Prime Minister or his Education Minister, Simon Birmingham.
Call for Baird government’s school funding legacy to continue
19 January 2017
Section: News
The finest way to recognise and acknowledge retiring NSW Premier Mike Baird will be for the successor leadership to continue the state Coalition government’s commitment and full, long-term funding support for Gonski, teacher organisations said in a joint statement today.
Comprehending the world of poetry for your classroom
17 January 2017
Section: News
xHow to create a poetry-loving classroom and meet K-6 syllabus outcomes will be covered in a Centre for Professional Learning course on May 1. The course will explore reading, writing and comprehending poetry, mention a variety of poems to share with students and strategies for developing students’ writing of poetry. How to use poetry in key learning areas other than English will be discussed, plus how to plan a unit of work to teach poetry.