Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff is bastardising the Gonski reforms with his cuts to public school staffing, Greens Education spokesperson Nick McKim MP said today.
“Mr Rockliff's decision to cut teacher funding will rock many government schools to their core,” Mr McKim said.
"Gonski was supposed to be about extra money for schools on top of what they already had, not to balance out the Liberals' decision cut funding for teachers."
"Thanks to the Liberals slash and burn approach schools are now faced with having to decide whether to cut teachers, or reduce other crucial areas like Teacher Assistants to support high needs students."
“Mr Rockliff has basically walked away from the Gonski funding reforms today. He is giving money on one hand under the Gonski banner, but is then clawing that funding back with the other hand with his unnecessary cuts.”
“Gonski was designed as genuine top-up money for schools for items ranging from safer playground equipment, to additional teacher assistants to help high need students, which schools may not now be able to provide thanks to Mr Rockliff’s decision to cut staff.”
“These school cuts are entirely the Liberals’ decision. The government deliberately threw unworkable deadlines at the AEU, and has now moved to punish schools for those deadlines not being met.”
“It is our schools, our children, and Tasmania's future which will be compromised.”
“Additional to the government’s flagged 266 Education Department job cuts are the 70 TasTAFE jobs to go which the Greens exposed in Parliament recently, so in reality Mr Rockliff is responsible for cutting over 330 jobs from our under-resourced public education system,” Mr McKim said.