SSTUWA - State School Teachers' Union of Western Australia

Gonski Review: Time for change so our kids are not missing out.

The Gonski Review report released today reveals the urgent need for the reform of school funding arrangements and an investment of at least an extra $3.8 billion a year in public schools, the State School Teachers Union of WA said today.

SSTUWA President Anne Gisborne said the report exposes the dysfunctional and inequitable nature of the current school funding arrangements.

“We need to move immediately to implement the recommendations of the Review for the creation of a schooling resource standard with appropriate loadings for disadvantage and an investment of at least an additional $3.8 billion a year in our public schools.

Ms Gisborne said “What we have always known is now in the open in an independent report. The Federal Government must be commended for commissioning this report and now must respond and step up immediately to invest in schools education.”

“We need a clear timetable for the introduction of legislation this year to ensure new funding arrangements can be put in place by 2014. There must be no delays with unnecessary consultation - that is what has been occurring over the last two year. ”

The recently released Richard Teese Report found public schools were being starved of the funding they needed to ensure every child received a high quality education. The Gonski Review when read in conjunction with the Teese Report provides clear direction to Governments and community to improve levels of investment in schools education, particularly for public schools.

The SSTUWA welcomes key aspects of Gonski including the adoption of an explicit resource standard linked to educational achievement accompanied by additional needs based funding, proper indexing and regular reviews and better coordination of educational provision across governments,

The SSTUWA will continue to work with parents and school communities to demand that the Gillard Government adopt and move to implement the key recommendations in the Gonski Repot.