Private school funding scandal is a one way trip to inequality

Commenting on a story on page 3 of today's Sydney Morning herald, Dr Kaye said: "This is yet another gift to private schools that are already very wealthy. Schools like Shore, SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Newington are the winners on a deal that is grossly unfair.
 
"This is Minister Gillard's last chance to stand up to the pressure from the private school lobby. The very least she could do is allow the very wealthiest schools to be exposed to the SES formula and allow their funding to reduce.
 
"The federal government's 'SES' formula says that private schools should see a reduction in their funding rates when their students come from census code districts that are increasingly affluent.
 
"When the system was set up, the private school lobby cut a deal with the former Howard government to maintain funding levels for schools that would lose out as their parents became wealthier.
 
"Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard knows this is wrong.
 
"She was told by her department last year that more than $2 billion is being wasted on this rort over the current four year period and yet the Rudd government is set to enshrine the overpayment system into the next four year cycle which runs until the end of 2012.
 
"This sweetheart deal undermines any credibility the SES formula might have had.
 
"The NSW government can no longer sit by while the public education system is undermined by increasing and unfair private school funding.
 
"NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca should act by cutting the state funding of the wealthiest private schools that are being overpaid by his federal colleagues," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

[via Dr John Kaye MLC Media Release Friday 23 May 2008 link]