Tuesday, 31 May 2011
The Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC), Mrs Therese Temby, has welcomed yesterday’s re‐statement of the Government’s decision not to pre-empt the findings of the Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling.
“The Minister also repeated the Government’s pledge that no school will lose a dollar as a result of the Review,” said Mrs Temby.
“NCEC has been concerned that recent media speculation about cuts to Catholic schools’ funding has caused unnecessary anxiety among school authorities and parents.
“NCEC will continue to argue strongly that no Catholic school should lose a dollar in real terms,” said Mrs Temby.
“According to government calculations, students in Catholic schools receive on average only $10,008 net recurrent income per year at school level, less than students in both government and independent schools.”
“Funding for Catholic schools post–‐2013 must increase in line with costs in government schools. This is the only way for Catholic schools to continue to operate effectively” said Mrs Temby.
“NCEC will continue to work with Mr Gonski and the Review Panel in the hope that a transparent and equitable funding model can be developed to give Catholic schools a fair go into the future,” she said.