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This section contains excerpts and updates
from the P.O.P.E. newsletter, Class Action!

RESIST KEMP'S E.B.A.! MAD! INSANE! CRAZY! THE NEW APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM PRIVATE SCHOOL PAY RISES UNIVERSITIES UNDER SEIGE!


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RESIST KEMP'S "ENROLMENT BENCHMARK ADJUSTMENT" SCHEME

This is the greatest private education swindle ever perpetrated on Australian taxpayers, and MUST be stopped.

Already Federal funding for private schools ($1.9 billion for 30% of students) is way higher than that for public schools ($1.4 billion for 70% of students). Funding growth for the past 10 years is also higher for the privates: 6.17% as opposed to 0.99% for Public Education.

But Dr. Kemp is not satisfied. Under E.B.A., not just the specific "per child" grant of $420 will be lost to the States if a student moves to a private school, but a FURTHER $1700 OF "FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE" GRANTS AS WELL! This is money that the States should get from the Commonwealth in any case, but obviously they have been using it to fund their contribution to public education. Kemp figures they can do without it when enrolment shifts occur, and will use this "saving" how he sees fit, ie. to up the spending on private schools.

No wonder even Liberal State premiers like Kennett (no great friend of Public Education!) can't stomach Kemp's proposals -- they are losing their right to fund education as they see fit. The clear aim is to ENCOURAGE A MASSIVE SHIFT IN ENROLMENTS AND UNDERMINE THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AS A UNIVERSAL PROVIDER.


MAD! INSANE! CRAZY!

Liberal education policies, both Federal and State, have created sheer insanity in the State of Victoria. First, the abolition of the Federal "New Schools Policy" has meant increased subsidies for shonky little private schools (of any size) starting up and drawing students away from local public schools.

Then, there's Kennett's Public Education cutbacks, schools closures and sell offs, leading to an advertisement for "42 Schools for Sale" in the business section of "The Age" (18.3.96).

One typical result? The Sunbury Christian Community School has just opened up in the former classrooms of the (now closed down) Bulla Primary School. This school was shut down by Kennett because it had only 42 pupils. How many go to Sunbury Christian Community School? Why, 21. Economic rationalism in action!

 
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T.A.F.E. + N.A.S. = UNEMPLOYMENT

 
The "New Apprenticeship System" is bad news for TAFE apprentices and Australian industry.

  • In two years the Howard Government has cut $163.5 million from TAFE.
  • $500 million of TAFE funding will be up for tender, and this means more job losses.
  • Apprentices and trainees will be at the mercy of their employers which could lead to narrow enterprise training.
  • A deskilled workforce is an unemployable workforce.
  • The result could be, according to the United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia wages as low as $2 an hour for trainees.

The "New Apprenticeship System" is yet another attack on Public Education. The Teachers Federation and other unions whose members will be affected need to take a much tougher stand against the new system.

TAXPAYERS SUBSIDIZE ELITE PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS' PAY RISE

The Carr Government pays 25% of the recurrent costs of educating Public Education students to every private school in NSW.

  • "Independent" private school teachers at Knox, Kings, Ascham, Newington etc have received a pay rise of 20% after amicable negotiations with their employers.
  • Public Education teachers had to engage in strikes and bans over several months and trade off conditions to squeeze a paltry 16% over three years from the Carr Government.

Public monies should go to Public Education!

 
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UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FIGHT BACK

University students have been taking action to
  • stop the Howard Government's 18% cut to Abstudy
  • combat the introduction of full up-front fees at Sydney University and UNSW
  • end the Austudy cuts affecting 110 000 students
  • show that the "Youth Allowance" means youth poverty

No Fees For Degrees.


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