Labor is promising a $14 billion boost to public schools

LABOR has today promised a $14 billion injection to the country’s public education system and fired a warning shot to the LNP.

LABOR today is promising a $14 billion boost to public schools over 10 years in a bid for better education for 2.5 million children and the votes of their parents.

It wants to deliver a record total of $133 billion to public education over the decade beginning 2020.

The funding promise is a response to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s $4.6 billion addition to Catholic and other independent educators announced in September.

In a theme expected to be central to the election campaign early next year, the Opposition is accusing the Government of short-changing public education “while big business and millionaires get more and more”.

Labor says the first three years of its funding scheme (2020-2022) would provide NSW public schools an extra $917 million, Victoria $804 million, Queensland $647 million, South Australia $256 million, Western Australia $501 million, Tasmania $52 million, ACT $57 million, and the NT $41 million.

And a Labor government would require state and territory governments to join a national plan to “improve schools with clear and ambitious goals and targets, and invest strongly in their schools too”.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today positioned education policy “at the centre of my plan for Australia – more resources for schools, better trained teachers, more one-on-one attention for students”.

“Improving our school results will require more support, more resources and ultimately more funding,” Mr Shorten said in a statement.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered Catholic and independent schools a boost. Picture: AAP/Rob Blakers

Labor criticised the Morrison government’s addition to private school funding - produced after Catholic educators warned of a ballot-box backlash to existing pledges - for neglecting the most needy elements of education.

The Opposition argues public schools teach two-thirds of all school students, and the overwhelming majority of Australia’s neediest children: 82 per cent of the poorest children; 84 per cent of Indigenous children; and 74 per cent of children with disabilities.

The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten (right) and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tanya Plibersek visiting St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“Parents work so hard fundraising for their school – sausage sizzles, cake stalls, fetes – because they know the difference extra money makes,” said shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek in a statement.

“Australians are sick of hearing the Liberals say they can’t afford to help public schools while big business and millionaires get more and more.”

Parents will be told the extra money could pay for 13,000 more teachers or 23,000 more teachers’ aides.

“This will transform public schools across Australia and give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential – no matter where they live, or how much their parents earn,” says an Opposition statement.

“This boost will ensure public schools have the funding they need to give students more individual attention, and more help with the basics such as reading, writing, maths, and science.

“It will allow public schools to offer a broader range of subjects including languages, coding, the arts, and vocational education.”