SOS Australia

The Minister for Education, Mr. Andrew Barr, has been telling regional consultation meetings that the Government did not promise that it would not close schools during its term of office.

Let the record speak for itself. Continue reading “Broken Promises, or Not?”

The ACT Government’s savings estimates from school closures have been challenged by a leading expert in public finance. Ian McAuley, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Sector Finance at the University of Canberra, says that the figures presented by the Government are unduly narrow and ignore costs that will be borne by the community. Continue reading “Govt. Figures Challenged by Public Finance Expert”

The Minister for Education told the Weston Creek regional consultation meeting held at Stromlo HS on 21 June that he will provide the Government’s estimates of savings from school closures for each school in the ACT proposed for closure. He also committed the Government to providing a break up of the savings according to the major components in each case. He told the meeting that the major components of savings were from site-based salaries such as those of the principal and bursar; utilities costs such as water, telecommunications, electricity and heating; and maintenance. Continue reading “Minister Says He Will Provide Savings Estimates”

SOS rejects the Government’s cuts to public education as constituting a major threat to the future of public education in the ACT. Massive school closures and massive cuts to secondary teacher numbers will undermine the quality of government schooling. Rather than renew public education as the Government asserts, the cuts will drive more people into the private sector. They will also undermine social inclusion and equity in school education. Continue reading “Public Education Under Threat From Budget Cuts”