The AEU today welcomed Labor’s commitment to delivering the full six years of needs-based Gonski funding to our schools and called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to match it.
AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said Labor’s announcement was a win for children across Australia who would benefit from more resources in their schools.
“This funding is an investment which will ensure that all schools will have the resources they need to give their students a quality education,” Ms Haythorpe said.
“Every child who needs help to succeed at school should be able to get it. We cannot have children who struggle at school left behind because of a lack of resources.
“The extra funding that has already been delivered to schools through Gonski is making a difference.
“Students are getting more one-to-one support in classrooms and extra literacy and numeracy programs. Students who are at risk of falling behind are getting the early intervention support they need.
“Given this success so far, why would you not deliver the full funding recommended by the Gonski Review?
“The education of our children is too important to be a partisan political issue. We need Malcolm Turnbull to back the full Gonski, not just stick to Tony Abbott’s policy of ending needs-based funding after 2017 and cutting real funding to schools.
“If Malcolm Turnbull is serious about innovation and educating all kids to their potential he will support this in full.
“Needs-based Gonski funding has overwhelming support among business, education, welfare and community groups.
“Its only opponents are the Turnbull Government and the State leaders in WA and the NT who have refused to pass on Gonski funding and have instead made deep cuts to their education budgets.
“Making sure our kids leave school with the skills they need for work is an investment in their future and ours.
“We cannot afford to have 1-in-5 15 year olds without the basic maths skills they need to be able to get a job. We cannot afford to keep having 40 per cent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds failing to complete Year 12.
“Gonski funding is the only way to ensure all children have a chance to make the most of their potential.
