Smaller class sizes, bigger subject selection and more students going on to university.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The success story that is Woonona High School exemplifies what extra dollars of needs-based funding can do, Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said on Thursday.
But the Shadow Minister for Education was quick to point out tougher times lay ahead for the ‘’terrific school’’, which is set to lose about $447,000 over the next two years under Malcolm Turnbull’s new schools policy.
‘’It is not fair that a school like Woonona will lose more than $400,000 over the next two years and a school like The King’s School in Sydney, with fantastic resources already will get an extra $19 million over the decade,’’ Ms Plibersek said.
‘’That’s not needs- based funding. That’s not fair. This is a bad deal for schools like this.
‘’There will be $15 million less for schools in the Illawarra because of the Liberals cuts.
‘’It is a tragedy to take that $15 million away from the school kids of the Illawarra.’’
Woonona HS principal Belinda Wall told Ms Plibersek and fellow Federal Labor politician, Cunningham MP Sharon Bird that the school had achieved outstanding outcomes in recent years.
Mrs Wall highlighted the school’s HSC strategy which began in earnest in 2013, when 15 per cent of Woonona students transitioned to university.
‘’By the time we reached 2016 we had 59 per cent of our students transitioning to university and this year we have 60 per cent of our students indicating that is where they would like to go,’’ she said.
‘’The education of our students is directly correlated to the economy of our country and it is really important that it is front and foremost in their [politicians] thinking and their bipartisan discussions.’’
Ms Bird said a recent survey of her constituents showed education was a major concern in the community.
‘’Nearly 1000 people took the time to reply and 60 per cent indicated concern about school education and in particular the funding of our schools,’’ she said.
‘’A lot of people expressed concern that the Gonski funding wasn’t going to flow through in the way that it should have done.
‘’It is obviously a real issue in a community like ours which has high youth unemployment.’’