Public schools in Moree Plains shire have significantly benefitted from the Gonski education reforms over the past three years, and are set to further reap the rewards with an increase of 23 per cent, or $4 million, in needs-based recurrent funding for Northern Tablelands public schools in 2017.
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Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced the increase last week and said it was a big win for our local schools.
“In total, the 59 Northern Tablelands public schools receive $21.25 million in needs-based equity funding next year,” he said.
Of the 18 public schools in the Moree shire, Moree Secondary College, Moree East Public School, Moree Public School and Boggabilla Central School have seen some of the biggest increases from 2013 to 2017 under the NSW government’s Resource Allocation Model (RAM) funding. In 2017, Moree Secondary College Carol Avenue will receive $1,081,292 – an increase of more than $910,037 since the Gonski reforms were introduced in 2013, while Boggabilla Central School and Moree East have seen increases of $600,000 and Moree Public has seen a $500,000 boost.
On Tuesday, Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and NSW Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott joined Mr Marshall on a tour of schools in Moree and Boggabilla.
“You never learn as much as you do when you visit schools, you talk to teachers, principals and you listen to kids. That’s where you learn the most about what makes the biggest impact in the classroom,” Mr Piccoli said.
He said he's seen “huge” benefits from the Gonski reforms in each of the schools he’s visited.
For example, Moree East has been able to use their funding to employ additional teachers to reduce class sizes, while Boggabilla is using fishing as an incentive to encourage attendance.
“This is the whole point of giving the schools the money and then trusting the staff and the principals that they will use that money for the individual needs of their students. Every school has different needs and schools will do different things,” Mr Piccoli said.