Page 3114 - Week 07 - Thursday, 30 June 2011
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make inroads into the causes of gaps in achievement in students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
We must not take the simplistic view that students from low socioeconomic backgrounds should be shunted into vocational education programs. We owe it to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to open up educational opportunities and give them the best chance of achieving beyond what would be generally expected. (Second speaking period taken.) I acknowledge the difficulty of providing a comprehensive education system but hope that the overall vision is learning opportunities for all and not a system that channels students with differing abilities into various streams. This approach has the capacity to create greater social segregation and exacerbate achievement gaps rather than reduce them.
The federal review into school funding offers an opportunity for greater equity in school funding. Two-thirds of Australian students attend public schools and yet the non-government sector receives 64 per cent of federal education funds. The Greens believe that a strong public education system is key to investing in the next generation and building a fair, successful and cohesive society.
The Greens are hopeful that any new funding formulas will use equity and need as their prime determinant. It is interesting to note that the ACT does not follow other states where social disadvantage can often be identified through postcode analysis. Disadvantaged students are found across the territory and students of higher socioeconomic status can mask this disadvantage, and this can result in us getting less funding than we should receive.
I am pleased to see the minister referred to this in the government’s submission to the Gonski review, as any new funding arrangement should address this geographic anomaly that has particular application here in the ACT.
The current SES funding formula was established under the Howard government. Dr Jim McMorrow reveals that by the end of the current funding agreement in 2012, private schools will have received $47 billion from the Labor government, up 50 per cent since 2007-08, and public schools $34 billion, up 80 per cent since 2007-08. Of all OECD nations, Australia continues to rank poorly in its public expenditure on public schools. In 2008 it ranked third lowest—26th out of 28 countries in the share of government education funding provided to public schools. Australia falls behind countries including the United States, Canada, Austria, New Zealand, Mexico, France, Germany and Britain.
I acknowledge it will be an enormous task, but there must be greater analysis and debate regarding a funding formula that looks at the individual needs of the students, acknowledging their level of achievement and thus the need for ongoing support; and that needs to be done through the funding. This innovative approach, whilst new in Australia, is utilised in other jurisdictions with success. An individualised needs model is also of critical importance in disability and special needs education.
The Greens are very pleased to see the innovative Noteworthy program of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra receive funding. I have attended a Noteworthy concert
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