Illawarra educators were tentative but optimistic yesterday as findings of the landmark Gonski review of school funding emerged.Primary Principals’ Association president Jim Cooper was in Canberra for the unveiling of businessman David Gonski’s final findings and recommendations.Mr Cooper, who is principal at Albion Park Public School, said findings show the existing funding model doesn’t work and is causing Australian education standards to go backwards.He supported Gonski’s recommendation of a $5billion injection for the education sector and the new ‘‘school resource standard’’ funding model based on individual student needs.The one downside, he said, was the section on how much money primary school students would receive because it was based on obsolete data.Mr Cooper said the Federal Government was now ‘‘making all the right noises’’ by putting together various committees and boards but had failed to give a clear time frame for when report recommendations might be in place.‘‘They also haven’t made a formal commitment to the suggestion by Gonski that we pour another $5 billion into education,’’ he said.‘‘I’m not confident that they will at this stage, but funnier things have happened and it would be lovely to be pleasantly surprised. I think we need to be aware that $5 billion represents half of 1 per cent of our GDP, so while it sounds like a lot, in terms of the whole picture of education, we don’t believe it is.’’Spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong Peter McPherson said the Gonski findings were in line with Catholic education expectations, but said there would be a lot of discussion before the effects of the report would be seen. He was concerned the new funding model could work against some Catholic schools.The Illawarra Grammar School headmaster Stephen Kinsella said the report would spark interesting discussions, but was waiting to see how the Government would implement its recommendations before making a final judgment.‘‘It is certainly recommending more funding for education overall and is maintaining the notion that there will be no winners and losers, which is a good thing,’’ Mr Kinsella said.‘‘What has to be worked out is the process by which the schooling resource standard is calculated and that’s where some serious discussion will have to happen so the process is fair and transparent.’’NSW Teachers Federation Illawarra regional organiser Nicole Calnan said the report had delivered good results for public schools and teachers but now it was up to the Government to act.‘‘The problem is that this could end up becoming a political football, but we need all political parties to embrace the recommendations.’’