Millions of dollars from a federal government program for capital projects at under-resourced schools have been directed to facilities at "elite" private institutions, prompting claims from the public school teachers' union about unfair funding levels in the education system.
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The Australian Education Union criticised the newly revealed grants for the construction of drama, art and sport facilities at a series of schools that are well-funded and serve relatively well-off communities. The union used the examples to hit out at a 2017 decision by the Coalition government to exclude public schools from federal funding for capital works.
Under the capital grants program, $3.6 million went to construction of art, music and drama facilities and further refurbishments at St Scholastica's College in Sydney's Glebe. The school enjoys educational advantage significantly above average with a majority of students in the top cohort. The capital grant is in addition to the school's annual income of $19.6 million.
Just over $800,000 went to the refurbishment of a library and education centre at Alphington Grammar School in Melbourne. The school ranks highly on educational advantage, with 53 per cent of students in the top cohort. The capital funding is on top of $11.7 million in recurrent income, or $22,000 per student.
Marist Catholic College Penshurst in Sydney received $3.5 million for learning facilities, a fitness hall and covered outdoor learning area. The funding is on top of a $5.9 million grant in 2015 for music spaces and other facilities. Combined with other capital spending, the school has spent more than $30 million on building works over recent years.
According to the Department of Education, the capital grants program - which received a $300 million boost from the Turnbull government - is intended to improve infrastructure at non-government schools "if they do not have enough capital resources". It will deliver $1.9 billion between 2018 and 2027.
"Scott Morrison can find millions of dollars to pay for art and drama studios in elite private schools but he can't find the money to pay for new public schools or expand existing ones to cope with rising enrolments," said Correna Haythorpe, federal president of the AEU.
Public schools educate just over two-thirds of students and Ms Haythorpe said they were "groaning under the weight" of new enrolments. The sector has absorbed 76 per cent of a recent boom in student numbers. Independent schools have also grown while enrolments at Catholic schools have dropped.
As of 2017, the government stopped capital funding for public schools. The decision saw all federal funding for the sector go into meeting the federal government's 20 per cent share of the Schooling Resource Standard, the needs-based education funding benchmark introduced under the Gonski reforms. The rest of the SRS funding is provided by state and territory governments.
Education Minister Dan Tehan said the government was providing record funding for all school sectors, with money for non-government schools ensuring choice for parents.
"As the majority funder of the non-government sector, the federal government provides capital funding to support non-government schools investing in infrastructure to maintain and improve their school facilities," Mr Tehan said.
"State and territory governments as the operators of government schools are responsible for capital funding of government schools."
The NSW Coalition government has previously called on federal counterparts to return funding for capital works in public schools. The 2012 Gonski review said the capital grants program should be extended to the sector.
SMH/The Age
