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Parents Victoria is appalled by the State Government's response to the Gonski Federal Review of Funding.
It is the Government's responsibility to fund an excellent education for every child in this country and yet the Victorian Premier is supporting the continued over-funding of private schools by the Federal Government.
The continual cry by Premier Baillieu, expressed in the State's submission to the Gonski Review, "that any plans to cut private school funding in real terms could spark an influx of students into public education, creating a significant burden on taxpayers" is ridiculous. And as it would be likely that the largest cuts would be to the elite private schools, some parents who withdraw their children from these establishments may enrol them in a "more affordable" independent school, and not the local public school. Currently the Federal Government gives two-thirds of its education funding to private schools, despite the fact that only 30% of children are educated in the private school sector. If the amount given to private schools is reduced, then that money would automatically be used as further funding for the public sector. Therefore the "influx" of students to our public schools would realistically have little impact on the tax payer.
Not that this is a valid point anyway; it is merely scaremongering.
Particularly insulting is the quote from the submission "to catch up to the worlds top performers, the public investment (in private schooling) needs to be maintained - not reduced". This statement reflects the view that only private school funding should be maintained whereas the public sector, which services the greater number of Australians, is a secondary consideration. Many notable Australians have come from a public education, and many have made a valuable contribution to this country. This statement implies that the majority of our country understand the importance of a Private Education and that the Victorian Government is representative of this stakeholder view. We beg to differ.
On behalf of the parents of the students we represent in over 1,500 public schools, Parents Victoria calls on the Premier to act responsibly and withdraw the State Government's submission supporting private school funding at the current inflated value, and to support, through fairer funding, every child in Victoria, who deserves every opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their family's financial status.
To read more, sign an online petition, send a letter - visit the Public Schools for our future website
Comments from our Readers:
"How can we expect this Gonski review will be respectful to what the public have asked for when the State Government flaunts its uncompromising position? Please Australia, let's just waste some more tax dollars asking the questions rather than looking at the results? I am losing confidence in our government's real support of Public Education and our children ... If this keeps up I don't see any supported future for my children's education unless I pay for it in Victoria ... is this what our Government really wants but is not telling us? " Mother of two - Southern Metropolitan Region
"Our Premier and his government keep talking about closing the education gap and supporting Victorian families more but then publicly marginalise the poorer more?" Eastern Metro Family
"Thanks Premier, you don't believe Public School students are "potential Top High Performers" ? Father of three (top performers at public schools) Northern Suburbs
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