A NEW analysis of My School data found growth in government funding to public schools was half of what was seen at independent and Catholic schools between 2009 and 2014, according to the Australian Education Union.
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Tax-payer money was channelled into advantaged school sectors at twice the rate of funds to schools educating the majority of Tasmanian kids.
- Tasmanian Education Union president Helen Richardson
An independent study done by the union found that in Tasmania, the recurrent funding per student in the five years between 2009 and 2014 saw a 19.1 per cent increase for government school students, a 39.1 per cent increase for Catholic school students and a 41.6 per cent increase for those at independent schools.
Despite the trend, it was found there was a significant jump in funding to public schools in 2014 in Tasmania.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the federal government’s funding commitment to education in Tasmania represented growth in education funding, over and above the rate of inflation.
“Importantly, the distribution of schools funding will be needs-based, which is in line with the priorities of the Tasmanian government,” Mr Rockliff said.
“As we've said all along, improving education is about more than just money; if it were that simple, our results would be better.
“We have fully committed to funding the full six years of the reforms outlined in the Gonski agreement and have invested an additional $134 million.”
Tasmanian Education Union president Helen Richardson said she wanted to see school funding that was in-balance with the needs of Tasmanian schools and students.
“Tax-payer money was channelled into advantaged school sectors at twice the rate of funds to schools educating the majority of Tasmanian kids with high and complex needs,” Ms Richardson said.
"In the years leading up to Gonski our education system was a postcode lottery where many kids attended schools not equipped to meet their high and complex learning needs.
"Gonski school funding reform gets the balance right where every child, no matter which school they attend, receives the individual attention and learning support they need to thrive.”
It was also found that low socioeconomic students comprised 9 per cent of independent school enrolments and 14 per cent of Catholic schools compared to 30 per cent of public school enrolments, according to the report.
Ms Richardson said she wanted to ensure every child had access to quality education.
Other states were found to show similar patterns to Tasmania’s results.
In the Northern Territory, it was found that government funding for public schools had dropped and in Western Australia, it stayed the same.
Victoria was found the have the largest gap between public and private school resourcing, according to the Australian Education Union.
