Tuesday November 21, 2017

Major funding boost for SA Catholic schools

Local

Catholic schools in South Australia have welcomed a $19.8 million funding boost announced by the State Government this morning.

Lindy McNamara

Tuesday November 21, 2017

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At a press conference held at Rosary School in Prospect, the Premier Jay Weatherill, accompanied by Education and Child Development Minister Susan Close, said State funding for Catholic and Independent schools would be boosted from around 19.7 per cent to 22 per cent of the School Resource Standard (SRS).

Catholic schools will receive an additional $14.3 million in recurrent funding in 2018.

In addition, the government has made a commitment to provide a capital grant of $5.5 million per annum, starting in 2018 and indexed annually to CPI.

Director of Catholic Education South Australia, Neil McGoran, welcomed the government’s announcement and the “direct impact” it will have on the 46,000 students in Catholic schools.

“I would like to thank principals, parents and those in our school and parish communities who have joined us in calling for a better funding deal for Catholic schools,” Dr McGoran said.

“We are delighted that these commitments match the increases we have called for in both recurrent and capital funding.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure that we deliver excellence in education for all of our students.”

Premier Weatherill said while the Federal Government had “short changed” SA schools by reneging on the Gonski Agreement, the State Government was “holding up our end of the deal”.

“All students across the State should have access to a first class education and the State Government has invested a record $1 billion of additional funding in our schools,” he said.