Perth Voice Interactive

MOUNT LAWLEY SHS will lose $1 million from its budget over the next five years as the Barnett government attempts to restore parity to primary and secondary school funding.

Under a new education model, around $45 million is to be redirected from secondary to primary schools over the five-year transition period.

WA education minister Peter Collier says the model replaces a complex and inequitable system.

Around 200 schools will lose funding, including Mt Lawley, Perth Modern and those in less affluent Perth suburbs and regional WA.

State school teachers’ union president Pat Byrne  supports more funds for primary schools but not at the expense of high schools.

“Mt Lawley senior high school will lose $250,000 from its budget next year, and around $1m over the five-year transition period to student-centred funding,” she says.

“No school can sustain a loss like this from its budget without it having a significant impact on the school’s ability to provide programs to students.

“Schools will have to decide which programs they will be able to continue and which will have to be cut.

“Mt Lawley will have to make some very difficult decisions and these decisions are made even more difficult because they come on the back of $200 million worth of cuts to school budgets last year.”

Labor leader Mark McGowan says nearly one in three WA schools will suffer cuts as a result of the new model.

“Parents in Mount Lawley have a right to be angry that their children are being picked on to pay for Mr Barnett’s waste and mismanagement,” he says.

“Eighty WA schools have been targeted for the largest cut of $250,000 each. Many are in low socio-economic areas. “I support a simpler funding model but I don’t believe in ripping money out of schools where students need help.”

Mt Lawley Liberal MP Michael Sutherland notes the changes mean substantial funding increases for local primary schools, include Mt Lawley, Sir David Brand and Coolbinia: “Obviously the [high] school will not be pleased but the outcome for Mt Lawley is not surprising as they were likely to be amongst the high schools to face minor cuts to their expected budgets,” he says.

“The new funding model treats all schools equally with base funding per student and then extra funding dependent on student and local area demographics.”

Mr Collier says the transition period gives schools time to adjust: “It will be up to the principal and the school board or community to decide what is best for their school.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK