Redirect the $11b from private religious schools to public schools: 22.6.16
“Public schooling — much like Medicare (1) — is being slowly privatised. With a staggering 40% of Aussie kids now enrolled in private religious schools, public education is being starved of funds,” say Brian Morris, director of Plain Reason.
“Federal funding cuts is already having an impact but the plan by Malcolm Turnbull to only fund private schools (which are 94% religious) simply reinforces the Liberal government’s philosophy to expand private schools.”
Mr Morris said it is long overdue that private religious schools were gradually de-funded and the $11 billion of federal funds returned to public schools. And it is also vital to counter the myths of low academic standards spread by private school interests.
“The community needs to rally to save the unique benefits of public schools — not just quality teachers but the innovation, diversity and fundamental principles of egalitarianism that they provide.”
He pointed to the most recent review titled Building our nation through Public Education which details the primacy of public education and the urgent need to restore adequate funding to allow it to again flourish.
“Successive governments have become heavily Christianised while the public is increasingly secular, with a recent survey showing 45% had ‘No Religion’ — a figure predicted to be nearer 50% in the August Census.”
“More Christianised education is a flawed ideology in our ‘secular democracy’ — and the government needs to put a stop to this socio-religious division and gradually re-channel the $11b funds from private to public schools.”
“Governments wont buy cars for us if we don’t use public transport, so why do we expect federal help for pseudo-elitist schools — no better than public schools — which also teach beliefs in a supernatural God?”
(1) Medicare: GP rebate freeze. Privatisation: Senate Hansard 6.5.16 + Productivity Commission June 2016