26 July 2019

Government to spend $3.75 million to grow capacity at five private schools

| Lachlan Roberts
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private school funding

The ACT Government has allocated $3.75 million to upgrade infrastructure at five private schools. File photo.

ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations have questioned the Government’s commitment to public schools in the Belconnen region which are at breaking point after the government announced it will spend $3.75 million to grow capacity at five private schools.

The ACT Government has allocated $3.75 million to upgrade infrastructure at Emmaus Christian School, Holy Family Primary School, St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Taqwa School and Blue Gum Community School as part of its infrastructure grant program.

Emmaus Christian School has been allocated a $781,682 grant to assist with the relocation and upgrade of its Design Technology Centre, Gowries’s Holy Family Primary School will receive $582,816 to construct a two-classroom block while Blue Gum Community School has been allocated $500,000 to refurbish and extend two existing preschool classrooms.

Taqwa School in Spence will receive $885,502 for the construction of a new preschool building while St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Charnwood has been given $1 million to assist with the construction of a new three-room early learning centre.

ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations executive officer Terry Sanders said there is a growing need for another primary school in Belconnen and believes increasing capacity at three Belconnen private schools will not abate the issue.

“The money that is being given to these schools is all well and good but the issue in the Belconnen area and most other areas in Canberra is the growing demand for more capacity in public schools,” Mr Sanders told Region Media.

“There is a growing need in the private sector but the public sector is the one that is growing the fastest. A lot of these schools are at capacity.

“The need for a new primary school in the Belconnen area has been identified and we need a boost in the Belconnen area. The majority of public funding should go towards public schools.

“We believe that any spare funding that is available should be going into putting in more public schools.”

During the 2016 election, the ACT Government committed to providing $15 million for infrastructure grant funding over four years for non-government schools, consistent with needs-based funding principles. The grant is on top of the ACT Government’s $85 million investment for public school infrastructure upgrades that were funded in the 2017 Budget.

ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said applications were assessed with a focus on upgrades that increase capacity and amenity of schools and which improve accessibility to disadvantaged groups.

“These grants will provide support to non-government schools to increase capacity and improve facilities for the next generation of students in the ACT,” Ms Berry said.

“The ACT Government is committed to continuing to improve accessibility and quality of school facilities across the Territory to provide good educational outcomes to all students in the ACT.”

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2manyquestions6:29 pm 30 Aug 19

Government investment in ACT schools, whether private or public, is good for ACT kids. Yet, reading recent news reports about alleged governance issues in private schools – such as at Brindabella – for the government to ensure it spends tax payers’ money well, they could consider explicitly linking any funding to good governance practices (for eg. legislating for at least 2 independent members on school boards).

The private school system should be tolerated but not indulged. This funding should have been given to ACT government schools.

One simple point and please investigate this yourself.
With the Catholic schools that we are talking about here, ( not exclusive expensive high fee private schools) tax payers still save a substantial amount of money per student attending non government schools.
Approx 40% of the overall cost is saved per student in taxes as parents cover this with their school fees.
It’s an inconvenient truth to many people and in the ACT, more than most areas, there are many families just as well off as others with the choice of school they attend (especially mainstream non government schools)

I just wonder how much better education, social equity, city design and Canberra’s demography split would be if the ACT Government had managed the school closures better and provided location based incentives for young families.

They closed three primary schools, two pre schools and a High School in the suburb of Kambah. It’s been an Education and social disaster for the area.

Some Belconnen schools that like Kambah were slated for closure, got a last minute political reprieve and stayed open. These Belconnen schools are now at full capacity.

If Mr Barr had developed incentives and infrastructure for young families to move to Kambah and other parts of the city that had schools close, then he wouldn’t have to be doing this kind of private school funding for the full schools in Belconnen.

We need to learn how to better manage the demography of our city and ensure an even spread of services, support and facilities right across the Canberra. There’s seems to be no long term vision for canberra outside of the central spine.

Capital Retro9:52 am 29 Jul 19

It could be part of a plan to attract more fee-paying, non-tertiary foreign students to Canberra and there is nothing wrong with that.

Is the act government looking to close more public schools and outsource to private like they have done in Tuggeranong?

Isn’t Labor left-leaning this is very much a Liberal approach.

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