Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Education about a $200 million funding shortfall and potential cuts to front-line services in district high schools. The Minister denies cuts and suggests closing schools as an alternative to finding the money.

AnsweredQoN 460Legislative Assembly
Asked
7 September 2010
Portfolio
Education

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — THREE PER CENT EFFICIENCY DIVIDEND
As a supplementary question, given that the minister has failed in her task to find about $200 million in funding, will she now go back to Treasury to ask for that money or is she going to cut more front-line services, as she has done at district high schools? Dr E. CONSTABLE

AnswerView source ↗

We have not cut front-line services at district high schools. Several members interjected. Dr E. CONSTABLE : If members look at the staffing level in every district high school, they will find that those schools are well staffed above formula because they are small schools in country areas. We have not failed in our task. We have been very successful in providing good education to children in our schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: We have not cut front-line services at district high schools. Several members interjected. Dr E. CONSTABLE : If members look at the staffing level in every district high school, they will find that those schools are well staffed above formula because they are small schools in country areas. We have not failed in our task. We have been very successful in providing good education to children in our schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
We have not cut front-line services at district high schools. Several members interjected. Dr E. CONSTABLE : If members look at the staffing level in every district high school, they will find that those schools are well staffed above formula because they are small schools in country areas. We have not failed in our task. We have been very successful in providing good education to children in our schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
Several members interjected. Dr E. CONSTABLE : If members look at the staffing level in every district high school, they will find that those schools are well staffed above formula because they are small schools in country areas. We have not failed in our task. We have been very successful in providing good education to children in our schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : If members look at the staffing level in every district high school, they will find that those schools are well staffed above formula because they are small schools in country areas. We have not failed in our task. We have been very successful in providing good education to children in our schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s the $200 million? Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : If the member wants me to close about 20 schools, that would save $200 million. I am not prepared to do that. We will not affect front-line services to children in our schools.

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