Any cuts to education will hit regional Queensland the hardest

Regional Queensland schools will be hardest hit by any federal cuts to education, Minister for Education Kate Jones said today.

Ms Jones said more than 80 percent of Queensland’s public schools were in regional communities.

“We have more than 1,000 state schools in regional Queensland educating 380,000 students,” she said.

“Regional and rural communities rely on good quality public schools for their children and they deserve the best possible education our country can afford.

“If Malcolm Turnbull turns his back on public education funding he is turning his back on regional Queensland.

“For generations Australian governments have funded schools because we are such a diverse and decentralised country.

“I call on Malcolm Turnbull and Simon Birmingham not to deny regional Queensland their fair share of education funding.”

Ms Jones said federal funding had helped our schools employ more teachers and teacher aids and target support for children who need it most to drive better learning outcomes.

“You only have to look at the widespread improvement in regional Queensland’s Naplan results to see this funding is making a difference,” she said.

Ms Jones said more than 70 percent of the current additional federal funding goes to schools outside Brisbane.

“Mr Turnbull’s raid on education funding is a direct attack on regional schools,” she said.

“Queensland is a growth state and we need funding to keep pace with our growing population.

“We educate around one third of the nation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and some of these students live in the most remote areas of the country.

“Queensland is the only state that has passed on every dollar of additional federal funding directly to schools.

“Mr Turnbull can’t have it both ways – he can’t call for improved learning outcomes and then cut funding.

“We know more education funding has delivered better educational outcomes for Queensland and our students deserve nothing less.”

Media: Matt Jutsum 0408 998 940