Far North’s most funded schools revealed

One Far North school received more than $111 million in State and Federal Government money in three years — giving it the highest funding in the region. WHAT YOUR SCHOOL GETS

Tagai State College on Mer Island

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ONE Far North Queensland school received more than $111 million in State and Federal government money in three years — giving it the highest funding in the region.

The massive amount of money some schools have received from governments can be revealed after an independent compilation of figures from the MySchool website.

Tagai State College, on Thursday Island, received more money from government coffers than any other school in the region, receiving $111 million over the three most recently available years.

Tagai State College Mer Island Replacement School 2

Redlynch State College received the second highest amount of state and federal government funding with $69.4 million. Trinity Bay State High School in Manunda was the third highest in the region receiving $67.1 million over the three-year period.

The figures reveal exactly how much money every school received from government funding over 2015, 2016 and 2017 calendar years and how much money has been spent on capital projects over the same period.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Education said the reason for Tagai State College’s high funding was to make sure it “has the contemporary education infrastructure it needs at each campus”.

“Due to the highly remote and decentralised nature of this school, with its campuses covering 48,000 square kilometres of ocean, the running costs are higher than that of a single campus school,” she said.

“Tagai State College is a unique Australian school, made up of 17 distinct campuses across the islands of the Torres Strait.”

She also confirmed the college’s Kubin, Mabuiag Island and St Paul’s campuses would get $450,000 each to refurbish learning spaces. In addition, $80,000 went to a new school set-down shade structure.

Students and staff from the Cape York Girl Academy in Wangetti are proud of their award for Excellence in the provision of Indigenous Students Health and Well-being PIC: Gizelle Ghidella

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Forsayth State School in Forsayth received the most government funding per student of any school in the Far North Queensland region. The school, which had six students in 2017, received $59,581 in government funding for each child. Girl Academy in Wangetti received $57,703 for each of its six students in 2017, the Far North Queensland region’s second highest funding per student.

Over 2015, 2016 and 2017 financial years, Northern Peninsula Area State College, in Bamaga, spent $8.6 million on capital expenditure, more than any other school in the Far North Queensland region.

Over that same three-year period St Andrew’s Catholic College, Redlynch Valley, spent $8.2 million on capital expenditure, the region’s second highest.

Region’s most funded schools

Tagai State College: $111 million

Redlynch State College: $69.4 million

Trinity Bay State High School: $67.1 million

Cairns State High School: $60.4 million

Bentley Park College: $60.4 million

Western Cape College: $55.3 million

St Andrew’s Catholic College Redlynch Valley: $52.8 million

Innisfail State College: $42.4 million

Woree State High School: $41.9 million

Cairns School of Distance Education: $41.4 million

Region’s least funded schools

Bartle Frere State School: $994,845

Irvinebank State School: $1 million

Bellenden Ker State School: $1.1 million

Daintree State School: $1.1 million

Forsayth State School: $1.2 million

Mount Surprise State School: $1.2 million

McDonnell Creek State School: $1.4 million

Laura State School: $1.4 million

Lakeland State School: $1.4 million

Mutchilba State School: $1.5 million

Region’s schools with the highest capital expenditure

Northern Peninsula Area State College: $8.6 million

St Andrew’s Catholic College Redlynch Valley: $8.2 million

Peace Lutheran College: $8.1 million

Trinity Bay State High School: $7.5 million

Tropical North Learning Academy — Trinity Beach State School: $6.3 million

Cairns State High School: $6.3 million

Trinity Anglican School: $5.9 million

Endeavour Christian College: $5.8 million

St Augustine’s College: $5.8 million

St Joseph’s School: $5.2 million

Originally published as Far North’s most funded schools revealed