Birmingham plans state education funding ambush

Acting Premier and Education Minister Curtis Pitt today warned the federal government was planning to ambush state education ministers with the threat of funding cuts ahead of tomorrow’s Education Council meeting.

Mr Pitt said Senator Birmingham was turning his back on education in Queensland 

“This is all part of the Turnbull Government’s agenda to rip funding out of education,” he said.

“Senator Birmingham does not understand that it costs more to deliver education in states like Queensland.

“We educate more than 380,000 students in regional and rural areas with more than 1000 schools outside the Brisbane metropolitan area.

“We also 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 also a growth state and we need funding to keep pace with our growing population.”

Mr Pitt said additional education funding had helped Queensland lift education outcomes for every student.

“Queensland has achieved remarkable improvements in NAPLAN results since testing began in 2008,” he said.

“This is because we have targeted funding to schools and students that need it most to lift education outcomes for every child.

“The idea that funding doesn’t matter when it comes to education is outrageous.

“The Turnbull Government’s solution to improve education is more tests, more duplication and more red tape in the classroom.

“The Federal Government don’t run a single school in this country yet they want to lecture Queensland about how to get education outcomes.

“Senator Birmingham’s threats to cut education funding will disadvantage our students and Queenslanders will not cop it.”

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