Page 2331 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 29 August 2007
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the Assembly that, as a result of the government’s record injection of money into public education and a four-year program of investment—
Mr Mulcahy: Why are parents dipping into their pockets—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR BARR: schools are so well resourced and there is so much activity occurring across every public school in the ACT. It is important to note that the amount of money that is sitting in school bank accounts represents an average balance of about $240,000 for each school and that this represents a snapshot in time: the bank balance is taken at one moment in time. Of course, there are a number of factors that influence the total amount within a school bank balance. They can include the receipt of payments from the commonwealth and receipt of payments from the ACT government. There are a variety of sources of income for schools. They also—
Mr Mulcahy: Parents.
MR BARR: Parents make voluntary contributions—
Mr Mulcahy: Voluntary?
MR BARR: Voluntary contributions.
Mr Mulcahy: Woe betide them if they don’t pay them up in some schools.
MR BARR: Voluntary. They are voluntary—and made voluntary by the Education Act 2004. I draw your attention to that act, Mr Mulcahy. There are voluntary contributions from parents, but they are a very small proportion of the total funding that is provided to government schools.
It is worth noting that about 53 per cent of those school bank balances are in funds that are the working capital of the school—to pay for electricity, water and minor maintenance: the day-to-day operations of the school. Twenty per cent are cash reserves held for specific purposes—the acquisition of assets, one-off ideas or proposals. For example, Calwell high is saving to purchase a school bus. There are a variety of major asset purchases that schools undertake. Then there is 27 per cent that relates to externally funded programs—prepayments on behalf of students and library and building funds, for example.
It is important that we recognise that this money is accounted for in the school’s annual report each year. All of the annual reports are available on the internet. I thought it was worth while going and having a bit of a look to see what schools are spending the money on. Canberra college, for example, is spending nearly $50,000 upgrading student computers. It is spending about $33,000 on painting and furniture, new carpet. It has upgraded its hospitality area and it is setting up an IB program.
The Amaroo school is spending money on the purchase of interactive whiteboards—about $30,000. It is purchasing guided reading resources and home readers for beginning readers—$10,000. There is $5,000 worth of musical instruments for its
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