Tony Abbott and Christopher Pyne want to follow Premier Colin Barnett’s lead in WA by privatising our public schools.
The Better Schools Plan has improving student outcomes at its core while the WA independent schools model is about cost cutting.
Encouraging state schools to become independent schools is one of the priorities outlined in the Federal Coalition's election brochure, Real Solutions.
Mr Pyne told Sky News last week that there was "no doubt" that if elected, the Coalition would be "rolling out independent public schools" as its preferred model across the country.
Premier O’Farrell and the NSW Liberal Government has rejected the policy because there is no evidence to suggest it would lead to better learning outcomes for kids.
"While we are talking about very significant devolution of authority from the centre out to local schools, we are not talking about wholesale autonomy. We will not be introducing charter schools or independent public schools because there is no evidence that they improve student performance."
NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli
The Labor Government supports more individual attention for every student, greater school autonomy through empowered school leadership and enhanced access to the tools proven to lift student performance in literacy and numeracy.
These measures are at the core of our Better Schools Plan because the evidence shows that it leads to improved learning outcomes.
Under our Plan school systems will play a key role in driving school improvement, especially in the allocation of resources to best target need.
Tony Abbott wants to keep the current school funding system which would see schools worse off to the tune of more than $16 billion.
When it comes to the education of our kids and the future of Australian schools, the Liberals just can’t be trusted.
MEDIA CONTACT: Kimberley Gardiner 0427 138 106
