Vinson exposes government neglect

Having exposed what can only be described as neglect and negligence on 
the part of successive federal and state governments towards public 
education, the final chapter of the Vinson Report makes recommendations for 
turning that situation around. The following article by Angelo Gavrielatos* 
puts a lie to claims that the money is not there. It shows that even a few 
modest reforms could raise considerable funds for public education.

The Vinson Inquiry, funded by the NSW Teachers Federation and the 
Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW, is unprecedented.

Informed by thorough research and analysis and hundreds of submissions and 
public hearings, it is the most thorough Report ever written on the state 
of education in NSW.

The Report does not only describe the serious issues confronting us, it 
sets out a series of recommendations which are costed.

Negligence on the part of successive federal and state governments to 
properly funded public education and the growing outrage expressed by 
parents and teachers across the State is best described in the words of the 
Inquiry:

"Over and again, parents and teachers have reminded the Inquiry that 
government and non-government schools do not compete on a level playing 
field.

"At every stage of the present Inquiry there have been reminders of the 
degree of imbalance in the resources currently available to private and 
public schools, which makes comparisons of their respective outcomes 
fraught."

The Inquiry reveals that when compared to other OECD countries, Australia 
is ranked 22nd out of 29 countries when it comes to public expenditure on 
education as percentage of GDP.

What makes this ranking even more appalling is that this includes 
expenditure on public and private education.

The Inquiry exposes yet again the deliberate policies of successive federal 
governments that deliver additional funds to private education, at the 
expense of public education.

The Inquiry reveals "that in 1995/1996 direct Commonwealth expenditure on 
schools as a proportion of GDP was 0.65 per cent, public schools receiving 
0.27 per cent and private schools 0.38 per cent.

By 2000/2001 the total outlay had reached 0.75 per cent of GDP, with public 
school expenditure declining to 0.26 per cent and private school 
expenditure rising to 0.48 per cent."

"Over the period 1995/1996 and 2005-2006 . [there will be] an increase in 
funding for non-government schools by the Commonwealth of 128 per cent in 
real terms compared to an increase in Commonwealth funding to [government] 
schools of 50 per cent", the Report also states.

In terms of total Commonwealth and State government funding: "The 
percentage increase in per capita funding for students in non-government 
schools from 1996/1997 up to 2000/2001 has been 45.1 per cent, whereas the 
equivalent increase for students in government schools is 27.4 per cent."

The Inquiry exposes that the NSW Government funds students at a rate far 
below the national average. If NSW primary aged students were funded at the 
national average it would require the immediate investment of an additional 
$218 million.

If secondary students were funded at the national average it would require 
an injection of an additional $100 million.

It should also be noted that staff/student ratios in the primary sector in 
NSW are worse than in other States.

Further, the staff/student ratios in other States are set to improve with 
the reduction of class sizes in the early years of schooling which has 
commenced in all other States except NSW.

The Inquiry also shows that "expenditure on the education policy area as a 
percentage of all NSW Government expenditure declined from 28.4 per cent in 
1989/1990 to 22.0 per cent in 2002/2002."

The Inquiry has drawn to the attention of the Government where additional 
funding could be found. This could be achieved by re-directing $116 million 
of current expenditure with a view to prioritising and allocating the money 
to address pressing educational demands.

The figure of $116 million is derived from:

1. The introduction of criteria for eligibility to access the School 
Student Transport Scheme (SSTS).

Currently the SSTS costs in the order of $427 million. There are no 
restrictions as students are funded to criss-cross the city [often to 
private schools — Ed.]. All other States, with the exception of Tasmania, 
have limits on eligibility such as attendance at the nearest appropriate 
school or nearest government school only.

Sixty million dollars would be saved if modest eligibility criteria were 
introduced

2. Means-testing the Back to School Allowance.

By making the current $50 Back to School Allowance means tested so that it 
is paid only to families holding a Centrelink Health Card, where income is 
$35,000 or less, a further $29 million could be saved.

3. Changing the 25 per cent private school funding link

Private school funding in NSW is based on 25 per cent of the average cost 
of educating a child in the public education system.

As the Inquiry notes: "Every time average per capita expenditure on 
students in government schools increases, recurrent per capita funding to 
students in non-government schools also increases."

The average cost of educating a child in a government school is impacted by 
the fact that the public education system educates the overwhelming 
majority of students with disabilities, Aboriginal students who are 
overwhelmingly in isolated settings and students of low socio-economic 
status.

The higher costs incurred in educational provision to these students are 
not borne by the private sector yet the 25 per cent linkage delivers 
automatic illegitimate benefits to private schools.

The Inquiry finds that by amending conservatively the current system of 
funding private schools in NSW this would result in a saving of $22 
million.

4. Interest rate subsidies for private schools

The NSW Government provides private schools with an interest subsidy on 
borrowings at a rate of 10.5 per cent. If the "interest subsidy on school 
borrowings matched the bond rate of approximately 5.6 per cent the Inquiry 
believes that would result in savings of $5 million per year.

"The long-term prospect is for accumulating savings for the government of 
up to half ($15 million) of the annual subsidy bill after a decade", the 
Vinson Report states.

Adding this $116 million to the additional $318 million that would be 
available if NSW were to match the national average of recurrent 
expenditure on primary and secondary aged students, the most significant 
recommendations made by the Inquiry could be funded.

This would include the recommendation for an additional five percent 
increase in teacher salaries.

The Inquiry states that in "recognising the social value of the role 
performed by teachers, appropriate salaries will be important for 
attracting quality new recruits to the profession, especially in the 
circumstances where substantial numbers of teachers are expected to retire 
in the near future."

The public education community, informed by the findings of the independent 
Inquiry into the Provision of Public Education in NSW (the Vinson Report), 
demands that our political parties show leadership and vision and commit to 
the six demands of the Public Education Alliance. 

The six demands are:

1. Reduce class sizes in the early years of education by lowering the class
sizes to a maximum of 20 students from kindergarten to Year 3.

2. Increase funding to ensure student welfare and special education
needs can be met.

3. Invest in professional development to support the work of teachers.

4. Enhance the capacity of comprehensive education.

5. Increase funding to properly maintain our schools.

6. Develop strategies to attract and retain teachers in an era of teacher shortage.

* * *

*Angelo Gavrielatos is Senior Vice-President of NSW Teachers Federation, 
Education (abridged).