The State School Teachers’ Union launched its Fair Funding campaign at Yanchep Beach Primary School.
Camera IconThe State School Teachers’ Union launched its Fair Funding campaign at Yanchep Beach Primary School. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

State School Teacher’s Union WA launches Fair Funding campaign in Yanchep

Lucy JarvisNorth Coast Times

THE State School Teachers’ Union WA launched its Fair Funding campaign at Yanchep Beach Primary School this week.

State School Teachers’ Union president Pat Byrne said the turnout at the September 17 event demonstrated how important fair funding was to the local community.

“The union will be engaging all political parties ahead of the federal election to get a better deal for public schools in WA, especially in fast growing areas such as Yanchep,” she said.

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Ms Byrne said teachers and parents talked about the lack of resources and funding for their schools, “particularly for the funding they need for STEM classes and classrooms to accommodate the burgeoning population”.

“The union would like to see the $2 billion cut from public school funding in 2018 and 2019 restored,” she said.

“There also needs to be the establishment of a capital grants fund for public schools that is currently only available to private schools.”

Labor candidate for Pearce Kim Travers attended the event and announced her support for fair funding.

Pearce MHR Christian Porter said the Federal Government had grown funding to government schools by 78.5 per cent compared to 7.7 per cent by states and territories from 2006-07 to 2015-16.

“Under the government’s schools funding plan, WA gets the fastest rate of funding growth for their government schools of any state or territory,” he said.

“Building and maintaining state government schools has always been the primary responsibility of state governments.

“State and territory governments can spend the record Commonwealth funding they receive on students or on school buildings.

“The Capital Grants Program has eligibility criteria and a thorough selection process in place to ensure schools do not take advantage of the scheme.”