Education Minister says teachers won’t be casualties of budget cuts

THE peak body for NT public schools says cuts to the education budget will lead to teacher casualties and overcrowded classrooms

Fears have been raised that cuts to the NT Government’s education budget could set Territory kids and families back. Picture: JUSTIN KENNEDY

THE peak body for NT public schools has attacked government plans to cut the education budget by over $20 million, saying the cuts will lead to teacher casualties, a reduction in subject choices and overcrowded classrooms.

The NT education budget has been pared back as part of the NT Government’s Budget repair plan, with a flattening of school indexation levels forecast to save more than $21 million over the next five years.

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But president of the NT’s Council of Government School Organisations (COGSO) Tabby Fudge said the Government should exempt schools from budget savings measures.

Ms Fudge said that by reducing school’s indexation funding, public schools will no longer be able to cover rising service costs and fund wage increases.

“Schools will have to find savings in other ways to cover rising costs each year. It will mean cutting teacher positions, subject choices and the risk of crowded classrooms,” she said.

Ms Fudge said it was a concern that education funding was about to be cut after years of progress. “The previous government failed to invest each year in our children and worse, slashed millions of dollars and hundreds of staff from school budgets.,” she sad.

“Schools have only just now returned to 2012 funding levels. An election commitment in 2016 by the current government of an additional $20 million into school budgets each year for four years has steadily brought our schools back.”

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Education Minister Selena Uibo denied the Government was cutting funding from schools, and that changes would lead to teacher cuts.

“We are changing school resourcing indexation levels to bring schools into line with all other government agencies,” she said. “We are not cutting funding from schools.”

“Schools will be directed to find efficiencies within their existing budget without reducing teacher numbers … (and) impacting the quality of services.” Ms Uibo said the 2019/20 education budget of $1.16 billion was “the biggest in the Territory’s history”.

“Unlike the CLP, who cut $135 million from the education budget and slashed 500 teachers and support staff, our government has reinvested in education.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the cuts to education spending was evidence the government was failing to fix the budget responsibly.

“The Gunner Labor Government needs to address the fiscal crisis and wasteful spending. Going after front line staff like teachers shows just how out of touch their priorities are,” she said.

“We have the worst performing economy in the country, continue to have the lowest level of business confidence in the nation and a crime crisis that Territorians have had enough of.

“Now, we see more misguided priorities. This government needs to go.”