THREE Northern schools have been stripped of at least $100,000 in funding, the Greens say. Right to Information documents obtained by Greens education spokesman Nick McKim suggest Ravenswood Primary School will receive $65,000 less than last year, despite having five more students. The figures indicate Brooks High School will be down $20,000 compared with 2014 figures, while Queechy High School will receive $14,000 less, with enrolments up at both schools. But the government has accused Mr McKim of being deceitful, saying accurate data for Schools Resource Package funding was not yet available. Mr McKim said the figures showed the state government put the lie to Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff's claim of record investment in the sector. "The minister's been caught out here, and he's got some serious explaining to do," he said. Mr Rockliff said the figures were preliminary, and funding would not be finalised until next month, when census data was available. "This means the figures for 2015 staffing and school resources packages are not accurate," he said. "The accurate data for 2015 enrolments and SRP funding is not available yet." He accused Mr McKim of scaremongering, and said the fairer funding component of every school's budget allocation would be increased by at least 5 per cent. However, Mr McKim said the money had already been allocated. "This Schools Resource Package is the actual cash that has been given to the schools to run their schools this year," he said. "These aren't preliminary figures to the schools - these are the actual dollars in cash that they have been given by the department." Australian Education Union state secretary Terry Polglase said schools were feeling the pinch across Tasmania. "Every school has lost the equivalent of at least one teacher," he said. "I just wish the government would at least be transparent and open and honest with the public."
THREE Northern schools have been stripped of at least $100,000 in funding, the Greens say.
Right to Information documents obtained by Greens education spokesman Nick McKim suggest Ravenswood Primary School will receive $65,000 less than last year, despite having five more students.
The figures indicate Brooks High School will be down $20,000 compared with 2014 figures, while Queechy High School will receive $14,000 less, with enrolments up at both schools.
But the government has accused Mr McKim of being deceitful, saying accurate data for Schools Resource Package funding was not yet available.
Mr McKim said the figures showed the state government put the lie to Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff's claim of record investment in the sector.
"The minister's been caught out here, and he's got some serious explaining to do," he said.
Mr Rockliff said the figures were preliminary, and funding would not be finalised until next month, when census data was available.
"This means the figures for 2015 staffing and school resources packages are not accurate," he said.
"The accurate data for 2015 enrolments and SRP funding is not available yet."
He accused Mr McKim of scaremongering, and said the fairer funding component of every school's budget allocation would be increased by at least 5 per cent.
However, Mr McKim said the money had already been allocated.
"This Schools Resource Package is the actual cash that has been given to the schools to run their schools this year," he said.
"These aren't preliminary figures to the schools - these are the actual dollars in cash that they have been given by the department."
Australian Education Union state secretary Terry Polglase said schools were feeling the pinch across Tasmania.
"Every school has lost the equivalent of at least one teacher," he said.
"I just wish the government would at least be transparent and open and honest with the public."
