FED:Teachers angry at PM's 'backdown'

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2010
FED:Teachers angry at PM's 'backdown'

CANBERRA, Aug 4 AAP - Angry teachers have accused Prime Minister Julia Gillard of breaking
a Labor promise to introduce a new funding system for private and public schools.

Ms Gillard has confirmed the government will extend by one year the existing scheme,
established by the previous Howard government, until at least 2014.

"I want every parent who votes in this election to know what funding they will get
for their local school from me as prime minister," she told reporters while campaigning
in the Cairns region.

"I want that to be absolutely transparent."

The Australian Education Union said it was clear Labor had caved in to pressure from
private schools.

"Labor will not have changed in almost seven years a system which they have repeatedly
acknowledged is flawed and failing to deliver for all children," union president Angelo
Gavrielatos said.

Public schools, which educated two-thirds of students, were only receiving a third
of federal funding.

"The private schools that get the most funding are the richest in the nation," Mr Gavrielatos
said.

"It is a funding system that is biased against public schools."

Labor would deliver $12 billion more to private schools than public schools by 2013.

AAP saj/rl/jl

KEYWORD: POLL10 SCHOOLS FUNDING

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