The Independent Education Union has entered the current public debate around school funding by restating its commitment to needs based funding for all Australian schools.
IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary John Quessy says that a "fix" to school funding begins with Government (Federal, State and Territory) immediately funding the full cost of education (called the School Resourcing Standard or SRS) for every government school student and a commitment from all levels of Government to meet their fair share. "They must stop trying to cost shift and stop the blame game," he said.
"100% of the SRS, that’s what the original Gonski report recommended, what both political parties committed to prior to the 2013 election and that is what the Government must deliver," says Quessy. "Our Union fully supports this principle."
"Catholic and Independent schools should be funded relative to that standard based on their SES and capacity to contribute calculated using the recommendations of the Chaney review," Quessy explained.
"Fair funding is not based merely on economic need but must consider the educational needs of students with disabilities the costs of which should be fully met regardless of sector," he added.
He further noted that governments must renew their commitment to closing the gap in Indigenous education though more inclusive collaboration with Indigenous people and their communities.
"Get these things in place and ensure that indexation reflects the actual historic costs and we’ll go a long way towards the school education system this country wants. A system that attracts and retains the highest quality teaching and learning support workforce," concluded Quessy.
