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Labor Fails Victorian EducationThe Bracks Labor Government is failing Victorian students and teachers, Shadow Minister for Education Philip Davis said today. By Philip Davis - 2nd February 2007 - Back to News The Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services 2007 released today reveals Victorian Labor spends less public funds per student on education than any state or territory.
"The national average spend per student is $10,715, yet the Victorian Labor Government spends a miserly $9700 per student," Mr Davis said.
"In 2004-05, Victorian Labor underspent the national average on its schools by almost $550 million.
"The report also showed that in the year to 2004-05 the national average spending increased by $317 per student – but Victoria only increased its spend by $7 per student.
"Labor consistently claims that education is their number one priority – yet they have not even managed to increase their spending at the same rate as the rest of Australia. Since 2000, the national average spending on education per student has increased 12% - Labor has only managed to increase spending on Victorian government schools by 9.5%.
"The Productivity Commission report also shows the number of Victorian Year 5 students achieving the reading and writing benchmark actually decreasing.
"The Bracks Government fails to invest in the future of students and our education system."
Mr Davis said Labor’s spending on educational staff was also a disgrace, with Victoria spending less than any State or Territory per student on staffing.
"In fact, Victoria is the only state in the country to decrease its real expenditure per student on staff," he said.
"It is no wonder that survey results released this week by the Australian Education Union show that Victorian teachers do not see teaching in government schools as a long term career option.
"Victoria is consistently behind other states in Australia, and there is significant disadvantage for students in schools which cannot attract or retain teaching staff.
"If this trend continues, it will undoubtedly result in the much feared teacher shortage and the standard of skills obtained by school leavers will plummet."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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