Public schools in Western Australia are underfunded by an average of $200 million each year and those within the education sector are calling for a fair go.
New analysis conducted by the Parliamentary Budget Office shows that lifting the federal government’s share of the school resources standard contribution from 20 to 25 per cent would provide another $200 million a year on average to assist in meeting the needs of the state’s public school students between 2023 and mid-2029.
WA public school students are missing out on vital funding, new statistics show. Credit: Quentin Jones
The standard is the minimum amount of funding all forms of government have agreed is required to meet the needs of students in each state.
The investment would allow principals and teachers to cut class sizes and provide more individual attention and support for children.
Australian Education Union federal president Correna Haythorpe said public schools in WA were only funded to 95 per cent of the standard.
She said this had far-reaching consequences for thousands of public school students who were missing out.
“With an average additional $203 million in federal funding each year, or five per cent more by 2028, the federal government can end this underfunding,” she said.
State School Teachers’ Union of Western Australia president Matthew Jarman said the funding would change lives and lift results.
“This is about our students, and making sure they get the opportunity to reach to their full potential,” he said.
“With full and fair funding, our principals can employ more teachers and reduce class sizes. We can recruit more education support staff and give teachers the time and support they need to offer students greater individual attention.
“Australia has a good education system, but it can be a lot better and a lot fairer.”
Federal Education Department
“We can bring more allied health professionals into schools, like counsellors and speech therapists, taking the pressure off families and giving the students who need it that extra boost.”
After 2028, the proposal increases to $400 million a year for WA schools.
A spokeswoman for the federal Education Department said it was committed to working with state and territory governments to get every school on a path to 100 per cent of its fair funding level.
“Australia has a good education system, but it can be a lot better and a lot fairer,” she said.
“Funding is critical, but so is what it does, what it’s invested in.”
She said this was why the work of an expert panel in the review pushing for a fairer system was so critical.
It would identify the practical reforms needed to help students who fall behind, to help more students finish high school.
She said stakeholder consultations, survey results and submissions would inform the development of recommendations for the final National School Reform Agreement report, to be handed to Education Ministers on October 31.
“To provide time for this work to occur, the current agreement is being extended for a further 12 months.”
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