O'FARRELL LAUNCHES BIGGEST ATTACK ON EDUCATION IN TWENTY YEARS

MEDIA RELEASE | Tuesday, 11 September 2012

John Robertson MP, NSW Opposition Leader
Carmel Tebbutt MP, Shadow Education Minister
 
O'FARRELL LAUNCHES BIGGEST ATTACK ON EDUCATION IN TWENTY YEARS  

$1.7 BILLION IN CUTS TO NSW EDUCATION SYSTEM

The O'Farrell Government has today declared war on education in NSW – with $1.7 billion in unprecedented funding and staffing cuts to public schools, Catholic schools, independent schools and TAFE colleges.

"This is the biggest attack on education in NSW in more than twenty years," Opposition Leader John Robertson said.

"You have to go back twenty years to when Terry Metherell was Education Minister and Nick Greiner was Premier to see any cuts that come even close to this.

"Every student, parent, teacher and school community in NSW will suffer because of these devastating funding cuts.

"Class sizes, school fees and standards in the classroom will all be affected by these cuts.

"Cuts of this magnitude will have an impact on education in NSW for generations to come."

The O'Farrell Government has announced:

• $1.7 billion to be cut from public schools, Catholic schools, independent schools and TAFE colleges;
• 1800 teachers, TAFE teachers and support staff to be sacked;
• TAFE fees to increase by 9.5 per cent; and
• the government will stop subsidising certain TAFE courses.

"NSW students will face being left behind because of these devastating funding cuts," Shadow Education Minister, Carmel Tebbutt said.

"A government cannot rip $1.7 billion out of the education system without impacting on the classroom and seeing resources and programs cut.

"Some of the most needy students, such as kids with learning difficulties and students with special needs, will be hit hardest by these funding cuts.

"Slashing 800 TAFE teachers and increasing TAFE fees will rip apart our vocational education system, see an exodus of experts from NSW and discourage many people from accessing vital skills training."