As Ballarat students return to school this week the region’s public schools are still left facing cuts of $9.6 million over 2018/19 under the Turnbull government’s funding changes.
This data, recently released by the PBO, confirms that Victorian government schools will lose $365.5 million of federal government funding over the next two years alone, with $9.6 million of these losses falling within the Ballarat electorate.
“These funding cuts have a real effect,” Ms King said.
“Every dollar taken out of schools leads to a deterioration somewhere along the line, whether that be facilities, staffing levels or other cut backs.”
Across Victoria these cuts are worth the equivalent of sacking over 4000 teachers, which would work out as almost two teachers from every school in that state.
Across Australia, 80% of these funding cuts will fall on the public sector, redirecting money away from where it is needed most.
“Prime Minister Turnbull’s priorities are all wrong,” Ms King said.
“Labor will restore all of the funding that the Liberals have cut from schools, making sure all young Australians are given access to the high quality education that they deserve.”