Public schools across Macarthur are being promised a stronger future, with the Australian Government marking one year since the Better and Fairer Schools Agreements began rolling out extra funding and reform.
The deal is set to deliver an estimated $16.5 billion in additional funding for public schools nationally, including $4.8 billion for New South Wales over the next decade, putting local public schools on a path to full and fair funding for the first time.
Member for Macarthur Dr Mike Freelander said the investment would directly benefit local children.
“The additional funding the Albanese Government is investing in public schools will benefit children here in Macarthur as across the country,” he said.
The funding is tied to reforms aimed at lifting results in the classroom and keeping more students engaged through to Year 12. That includes Year 1 phonics checks, early numeracy checks, evidence-based teaching, small-group tutoring and greater access to wellbeing support.
“Our government promised to deliver a better and fairer education system and that’s what we’re delivering,” Dr Freelander added.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the early signs were encouraging, pointing to improvements in attendance, teacher numbers and school completion rates.
“Attendance is going back up. Teacher numbers are going back up. The number of students finishing high school is going back up,” he said.
But he warned the work is far from over, saying the funding is “the biggest investment in public schools ever and it’s not a blank cheque”.
“It’s tied to real reforms,” Clare said, including “evidence-based teaching, phonics checks, numeracy checks and small group tutoring”.
Under the agreements, states and territories will publish annual progress reports measuring literacy, numeracy, attendance, Year 12 completion and workforce targets, giving the public a clearer picture of whether the reforms are working.
