Today, with the support of the Coalition, legislation to increase funding to government schools passed the House of Representatives.
The Better and Fairer (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 will now be investigated by a senate inquiry which allows key stakeholders to have their say.
Shadow Minister for Education, Sarah Henderson, said while the Coalition backs greater support for Australia’s 6,712 public schools, Labor’s failure to finalise funding agreements with New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, as well as the ACT, is of deep concern.
The current National School Reform Agreement expires on 31 December 2024.
“With time running out and no new funding agreement in place for 83 per cent of public schools, Labor has failed to deliver the national school reforms it promised to raise school standards,” Senator Henderson said.
“It is time Education Minister Jason Clare resolved his school funding war so principals and teachers across the country have the certainty they deserve.
“With one in three students failing NAPLAN, parents are crying out for a back-to-basics education for their children where literacy and numeracy skills are prioritised, underpinned by explicit teaching and a knowledge-rich, common sense curriculum.
“The draft agreement requires the states and territories to implement evidence-based teaching including Year 1 phonics and numeracy checks, but says nothing about improving the national curriculum or delivering the critical reforms needed to combat classroom disruption.
“As occurred again today in senate estimates, it is regrettable Labor continues to mislead Australians about the Coalition’s school funding record when in government.”
Over nine years, the Coalition nearly doubled annual schools funding – from $13 billion in 2013 to $25.3 billion in 2022.