Back to school but going backwards under Baillieu
Posted: Thursday, 2 February 2012 | By: Daniel Andrews
State Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews today welcomed students at the start of the new school year but warned 2012 will be a tough time for schools and families thanks to Baillieu Government funding cuts.
“I’d like to wish the thousands of children who are heading back to school all the best for the coming year,” Mr Andrews said.
“While parents can be assured their child will have the full support of dedicated teachers and school communities, it is disappointing that schools will start this year without a State Government dedicated to education.”
During a visit to Eastwood Primary School in Ringwood East , Mr Andrews said the Baillieu Government had stripped $481 million from the education budget, halved the capital works budget, slashed $50 million from the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning program and refused to honour his commitment to make Victorian teachers the highest paid in Australia.
“Nothing is more important to a child’s future health and happiness than a good education, which is why Baillieu Government school funding cuts are short-sighted and cruel,” he said.
“Instead of improving the education system and giving our children the best chance to be the best they can be, Mr Baillieu has ripped almost half a billion dollars from the education budget.
“He has abandoned Labor’s historic school re-building program to rebuild, renovate or refurbish every Victorian government school.
“He has cut literacy and numeracy programs and made massive cuts to VCAL – a program that has engaged students and supported the highest school retention rates of any state.
“A government who doesn’t care about education doesn’t care about our children’s future.”
Mr Andrews toured Eastwood Primary School today to meet students and teachers and inspect classrooms in urgent need of repair. The school was earmarked for new classrooms, a library, specialist teaching spaces and new administration areas under Labor but will miss out due to Baillieu Government funding cuts.
“Also, hard working school teachers at Eastwood will get little thanks or reward from the Baillieu Government this year,” Mr Andrews said.
“One of the first promises Mr Baillieu broke was to make Victorian teachers the best paid in the country and teachers have every right to feel betrayed. He has made a terrible start, but I sincerely hope he keeps his promise and wins back teachers’ trust this year.”
Mr Andrews said family budgets would be under pressure this year after Mr Baillieu axed Labor’s School Start Bonus for about 100,000 Victorians families “despite Mr Baillieu’s promise to keep cost of living pressures down”.