Page 3647 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 8 December 1992
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MS SZUTY (9.42): Madam Speaker, in its report to the ACT Government in June 1991 the Belconnen Region High Schools Task Force, of which I was a member, recommended, firstly, that the ACT Government be asked to examine and reassess the inherited Commonwealth territorial policy for funding non-government schools, and, secondly, that application of the criteria for education resource index or ERI categories for determining public funding of non-government schools in the ACT should be reviewed. These recommendations were based on consolidated community and professional views that the funding of non-government schools in the ACT has an impact on parental choice of school and consequently on enrolment levels in government schools. As quoted in the report:
... under current arrangements the large part of ACT and Commonwealth Government funding to non-government schools is guaranteed for extended periods against budgetary fluctuations. In circumstances of fiscal restraint, budget flexibility in school funding is obtained mainly from the government school sector. The guaranteed funding of the non-government schools thus creates the danger that fiscal restraint will lead to a reduction in the quality of schooling available in the public education sector.
Following the release of the task force's report, the Minister for Education and Training, Bill Wood, announced an inquiry into Territory funding of ACT non-government schools to be conducted by Mr George Berkeley. Mr Berkeley had had previous involvement with ACT public schooling and, in 1987, along with Mr Noel Kenway, produced a report on the structure of the then ACT Schools Authority. Mr Berkeley completed his current report in July of this year and since that time the Department of Education and Training has conducted further consultations with key education groups to examine options for the Territory funding of non-government schools in the future. The Berkeley report is an extensive and comprehensive one comprising recommendations about the future funding of non-government schools.
Madam Speaker, I referred earlier to consolidated community and professional views that the extent of non-government school funding directly affects the level of enrolments in government schools. The reaction of the Australian Teachers Union ACT branch and the ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations to Mr Berkeley's recommendations reflect their support for priority funding for public schools.
Mr Cornwell: It is all so predictable.
MS SZUTY: I will come to that, Mr Cornwell. The reaction of the Parents and Friends of ACT Schools to Mr Berkeley's recommendations reflects their support for no loss of funding for non-government schools. Clearly, the ACT Government faces a dilemma in terms of the future funding of non-government schools, and a further extensive consultation process with groups such as those mentioned is essential for any degree of consensus to be achieved. This may in fact never be the case and the Government will need to take tough decisions which are deemed to be appropriate in tough economic times.
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