School Funding Review

2 October 2006, 11:19am

Unlike the federal government, the IEU believes that reviews into non-government school funding should be conducted publicly. The DEST internal review only further compromises an already flawed funding regime. In the interests of public scrutiny the IEU's submission can be accessed here.

Despite the federal education minister's commitment to the IEU in May that the review of funding to non-government schools would be a public review, time has proved that the review is anything but public. The Department of Education, Science and Training is conducting an internal review and invited submissions from stakeholders. The IEU was not invited and so created its own invitation.

The IEU submission focussed on the following elements:

First, the submission outlined the IEU's view of the key principles for school funding, and consequently noted the failure and inconsistencies in the current funding regime.

Second, the IEU noted that the Review provides a timely opportunity for the government to adequately address serious deficiencies in the funding arrangements for students with disabilities. In particular the 2005 Disability Discrimination Act Standards for Education place substantial compliance requirements on the non-government school sector and consequently substantial responsibility on teachers and other school staff without adequate or appropriate funding recognition.

Third, the IEU noted that there remain significant matters of national concern with respect to the level of funding, the targeting of funding and the nature of programs funded with respect to indigenous education. The fact that Australia's Aboriginal peoples remain at the bottom level of every economic, health and social indicator is unacceptable and should be a source of national shame. School funding priorities should reflect opportunities to address these matters.

The IEU submission is attached here.

Downloadable files

School Funding Review  (92kb)

Contact details

Chris Watt
Assistant Federal Secretary
Ph: 03 9254 1830
Fax: 03 9254 1835
ieu@ieu.org.au