New campaign for action on Gonski Review
18 June 2012
Teachers and principals are stepping up pressure for action on the recommendations of the Gonski Review with a new national campaign kicking off today.
The I Give a Gonski campaign will start with national and regional television advertising (watch the first ad below) as well as grassroots community activity involving teachers and parents.
Register your support on the I Give a Gonski website. Follow the action on facebook and twitter.
You can also download resources, including posters and fact sheets, here.
AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said politicians had to take notice of the widespread support for action on Gonski from educators, parents, business leaders, community groups and welfare agencies.
"The Gonski Review makes it clear too many children are being denied the resources and opportunities they need due to the broken funding system," Gavrielatos said.
"Our television advertisement deals with one of the problems that must be addressed — far too many high school students in Australia lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.
"There is an urgent need to invest in education, particularly in public schools and to improve the way the funding is distributed to better meet the needs of students.
"The Gonski Review's recommendations provide us with a once in a generation opportunity to act for the benefit of all children. What Gonski means, on average, is an additional $1,500 per public school student per year.
"This additional funding will allow us to do the things we know will benefit students such as reducing class sizes, providing more individual attention and additional specialist teachers.
"We need all federal politicians to commit to the additional $5 billion a year funding identified as urgently required by Gonski ($3.8 billion in recurrent and capital funding for public schools) and lay down a timetable for the passage of legislation this year."
