Continuing underfunding of Catholic schools exposed

Source: Sykes Media Release

The Brumby Government’s underfunding of Catholic schools was further exposed in Parliament this week in a debate initiated by Nationals MP for Eastern Victoria, Peter Hall.

Local Nationals MP, Bill Sykes in strongly endorsing Mr Hall’s comments said, “Figures provided to me by the Minister for Education 12 months ago confirmed that students attending Catholic schools in Victoria receive State Government support which is well below the national average.

This week in Parliament, Mr Hall, quoting from The National Report on Schooling in Australia 2006, highlighted that Catholic students receive $1,283 per year compared with the Australian average of $1,666.

Dr Sykes continued, “The impact on local Catholic schools of this continued underfunding is significant. It means that Catholic schools have to self fund important services such as support for students with special needs (State schools are funded $15,000 per student with special needs whereas the corresponding amount for Catholic schools is $5,000).

“Claims by the Government that they have increased funding for Catholic schools by 60% are not disputed – the problem is that costs have risen by 69% over the same period leaving the schools 9% worse off in real terms.

“The Brumby Government’s response to this situation is to say, “It’s the parents choice – they can pay higher fees”.

“This ignorant and callous response ignores the financial hardship being experienced by many Catholic families (along with non Catholic families), especially in country Victoria.

“22% of students in Victoria are educated at Catholic schools – this results in a significant saving to the Victorian taxpayer.

“The least the Brumby Government could do is to increase State Government grants for Catholic students to the Australian average.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “The Liberal-National Coalition solution to this injustice is for an extra $390 million to be allocated to Catholic schools over the next four years. I call on Mr Brumby to adopt the Coalition policy.