Funding calculator as farcical as an episode of Yes, Minister

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9 May 2017

The Australian Government’s School Funding Estimator has become an omnishambles for the government hours after its launch, Catholic education Executive Director Stephen Elder says.

‘The government has provided all schools with an estimate of their school funding in 2017,’ Mr Elder said.

‘We now hear that schools are being contacted by the government to tell them that their estimates are wrong.’

Catholic education’s analysis of the government’s own data would suggest that it has assumed that its proposed funding parameters would currently apply. However, 2017 funding for schools should be calculated based on the existing funding model.

As the estimates of 2017 funding are wrong, the Australian Government is acknowledging that it has mislead schools and the Australian public on the funding increases schools might expect under the new school funding model from 2017 to 2018.

The differences between those dollar amounts quoted on the funding calculator website and the funding schools are expecting varies significantly. Catholic schools in Victoria would lose a total of $16 million in 2017 if the proposed model applied. This confirms the suspicions of Catholic schools in Victoria that the government plans to cut their funding.

 Image 1 - Catholic school enrolments continue to rise.

'This is the kind of mistake that makes Yes, Minister look like a documentary,’ Mr Elder said.

‘Catholic education will be looking forward to hearing the Minister’s explanation on the how this occurred.’

Further information: Christian Kerr, Media Adviser, 03 9267 4411 or 0402 977 352

 

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