[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-1/5 vc_col-md-1/5 vc_col-xs-1/5″][us_image image=”81825″ size=”thumbnail” align=”left” style=”circle” has_ratio=”1″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″ offset=”vc_col-lg-4/5 vc_col-md-4/5 vc_col-xs-4/5″][vc_column_text]By Annette Madjarian[/vc_column_text][us_post_date][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Private schools in the Hills and Hornsby LGAs have topped the list of overfunding across NSW, according to a new report.
Commissioned by the NSW Teachers Federation, the report found that the NSW Government had overfunded private schools in the state by almost $850 million, while underfunding public schools by $2 billion every single year.
The NSW Government Public Funding of Private Schools in NSW report, authored by senior economist Adam Rorris, also found that the NSW Government spent more than $30 million in extra funding on 40 elite private schools, which were identified as some of the “most expensive and wellresourced schools in the country”.
Barker College in Hornsby topped the list of overfunded private schools to the tune of $2,503,972. William Clarke College in Kellyville came in second at $2,191,050, with Oakhill College Castle Hill overfunded by $2,046,13.
Mount St Benedict College in Pennant Hills and Rouse Hill Anglican College also made it onto the list, with $1,469,192 and $1,086,862 overfunding respectively.
NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said the report showed the profound inequity of the NSW Government’s school funding arrangements.
“This funding inequity is making it harder to ensure every child gets the education they need. There shouldn’t be one rule for private schools and one rule for everybody else. The most overfunded schools are the ones who need the money the least,” Mr Gavrielatos said.
“A decade ago, governments agreed that there needed to be a minimum resource standard that all schools were funded to in order to meet the needs of their students and yet we still have this profound inequity.
“If NSW public schools were funded to the resource standard agreed by governments, there would be an additional $2 billion invested in them every year.
“That investment would be lifechanging for children in public schools.”
Mr Gavrielatos said a new Commonwealth/State funding agreement, due to be negotiated next year, must ensure public schools are funded to the resource standard as a matter of urgency and end the overfunding of private schools.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
