No ACT school cuts under Gonski, Bourke says

As Prime Minister Julia Gillard today assured all independent schools they would not have their funding cut and would actually receive more under the government's reforms, the federal opposition warned that more than 3000 Australian schools would see cuts potentially costing millions of dollars a year.

Opposition modelling suggests ACT independent schools could lose almost $23 million with several schools warning they would face closure as a result.

Dr Bourke this morning attended a "sea of hands" demonstration outside Parliament House in support of the Gonski Review of School Funding, organised by the Australian Education Union to mark six months of government inaction on the review findings.

Dr Bourke said he would not sign up to any Commonwealth plan which saw a cut to ACT schools.

The cardboard hands carry the names of all 6700 Australian government schools and are signed by school principals, parents and union representatives.

Meanwhile, the independent schools sector held a forum in Canberra today where Ms Gillard sought to hose down fears that non-government schools are facing any sort of funding cut.

Ms Gillard said "Every independent school in Australia will see their funding increase under our plan ... This plan will lift school standards, not school fees."

"No matter how rich or poor your parents are or where you go to school, our nation should provide a basic degree of support to your education, because you are Australian, because you are part of the whole," Ms Gillard said.

Dr Bourke said it was an important commitment from the Prime Minister, but she had already firmly pledged that no school system would be disadvantaged under the Gonski reforms.

He was disappointed at the amount of scaremongering within the opposition and non-government school ranks.

"Every knows the current system doesn't work properly, it is not fair, it's not transparent and it doesn't provide to those most in need."

"As ACT Education Minister, I am not going to agree to something that is going to disadvantage any ACT school."

Dr Bourke said the new system would need to understand the ACT's peculiar demographic makeup, in which disadvantaged students were spread across the territory, rather than being located in particular pockets.

"In the ACT we have a high level of public housing spread right around the city and we don't have high pockets of disadvantage as in the other states."

He dismissed as "wild conjecture" federal opposition modelling which showed schools as winners and losers, saying ACT Liberal education spokesman Steve Doszpot was also promoting the "unsubstantiated modelling" as a "smoke and mirrors...attempt to cover-up the ACT Liberals' lack of education policy."

"Mr Doszpot's commentary does not bear any resemblance to Territory or Commonwealth policy, and after the Prime Minister's pledge ACT schools and parents know that schools funding will not be cut."

Executive director of the Association of Independent Schools of the ACT Andrew Wrigley said yesterday had brought "potentially good news" for the non-government sector.

"But we await the detail, is it in real dollar terms? Does it support diversity? Is it funding for all kids?

"This result is getting us closer to the certainty we have been looking for."

Mr Wrigley said the ACT would need specific attention when the Commonwealth model was finalised so its unique demographic circumstances would be taken into account.

Australian Education acting ACT branch secretary Glenn Fowler said it was unfortunate that the government had been sidetracked by the independent school lobby's scare campaign.

"We want Gonski implemented now, and if this has mean it is backtracked again then all school children are the losers."

The federal government's final response to the Gonski review was originally expected early this week, but has been delayed until next month.

Mr Fowler said it was ridiculous to suggest private schools would lose out when businessman David Gonski was given clear guidelines that his reforms could not take "one single dollar out of non-government school funding."

"The Prime Minister is trying to shore up the private sector by promising what she promised today, but she actually promised that two years ago and that is the reason why the Gonski review has such a big price tag (of at least $5 billion) because Gonski was never at liberty to take money away from the private sector."