AEU launches statewide public education campaign
30 August 2010
The Australian Education Union today launches a statewide campaign for increased investment in public education, ahead of the Victorian State Election in November.
The campaign includes two new television advertisements, which will air statewide from today.
"This election, politicians have an opportunity to listen to their constituents and deliver an improved public education system to all Victorians," said AEU Victorian Branch President Mary Bluett.
"Victoria remains the lowest spending state per student on education.
"Victoria spends $1,148 less per primary school student than NSW and $1,334 less per secondary student.
"Increased investment is required to improve the quality of public education and attention must be given to meeting the needs of each and every student.
"The Victorian public clearly supports this view, with 75 per cent rating education as a very important issue in the AEU's latest annual benchmark poll.
"It's time for the major political parties to step forward and outline their commitments to public education now and in the future.
"This must include reducing class sizes in upper primary and secondary, providing schools with the appropriate resources to deliver
a broad range of subjects and supporting students with behavioural and emotional problems by restoring and expanding the provision of special settings.
"It must also include providing more teacher assistants, including home-school liaison officers and more teacher aides to help students with learning difficulties or disabilities," Ms Bluett said.
Key results of the annual public benchmark poll include:
- 95 per cent agree that it is important for schools to have the resources to deliver a broad range of subjects
- 94 per cent support better resources to cope with children with disabilities and more teacher aides to support students with learning difficulties
- 92 per cent agree that the Government must provide teachers with professional development/training to enable them to better deal with students with behavioural and emotional problems
- 90 per cent agree that the Government should fund more special programs and settings for students with behavioural and emotional problems
- 87 per cent support having the resources to remove disruptive students from class and give them special support and counselling
- 83 per cent agree that increased funding should be given to schools with students who have the greatest needs
- 82 per cent agree that schools have to rely too much on parents to raise funds these days
- 82 per cent agree that class sizes should be reduced to 20 across all years
- 82 per cent support having home school liaison officers for students having difficulties at school.
