The NSW Government is spending hundreds of millions helping private schools pay off loans as part of a scheme that was supposed to have been shut down more than a decade ago.
Details obtained under FOI show schools benefiting in recent years include some of the state’s wealthiest such as Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore), the King’s School, Scots College, Ravenswood, Trinity Grammar and Wenona.
The subsidies come in addition to NSW private schools already receiving $500 million over the next four years in capital works funding from the Berijiklian Government and at a time when capital funding for private schools has increased tenfold from $11.7 million a year in 2014/15 to $125 million a year on average now.
NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Henry Rajendra said the scheme was another example of governments deliberately favouring private schools at the expense of our public schools.
“Again, we see the Berijiklian Government prioritising the needs of private schools while public schools face a 45 per cent increase in the numbers of demountable buildings due to a lack of capital investment to deal with already rapidly growing enrolments,” Mr Rajendra said.
“Enrolments in public schools are expected to increase from 800,000 to almost 1 million in the next twenty years according to Infrastructure NSW.”
“There is no plan to ensure NSW public schools are fully resourced to meet the growing needs of students.”
“NSW public school students and their parents deserve better. It is public school funding and infrastructure that must be a priority, not special deals and private school cafes, orchestra pits and luxurious privilege.”
“It’s time the Berijiklian Government ended these special deals and focussed on the needs of all students, rather than just a few in privileged private schools.”
