Changes are happening throughout the Australian education system on both national and state levels. While some schools gain autonomy and more say on how they are run via various political initiatives, others are merging or closing.
In a response to the Gonski Report, the Federal Government has announced a school funding plan. The Federal reforms will inject an additional $6.5 billion into the education sector every year, with Principals given increased control over how their schools are run, including greater autonomy and more independent financial management.
In September this year, Queensland state government announced its 26 first Independent Public Schools, including Brisbane State High School and Palm Beach Currumbin State High. The initiative is intended to cut bureaucracy in the public school system giving principals greater power to control their budgets, change the curriculum and recruit staff. School councils will also be able to liaise directly with local industry. Over the next four years, 120 Queensland schools are to be included in the program which follows similar moves in NSW and Western Australia where principals and school boards are allowed to make decisions about expenditure and staffing.
In Western Australia more than a third of the State’s public schools have become independent since 2010. There are currently 171 schools running as Independent Public Schools, with another 84 to be added to the program in 2013. It is the WA Government’s plan for all public schools to eventually enter the program.
Similar initiatives are expected to be implemented in SA from 2014. However, while high-performing schools will be eligible for more local decision-making, the government plans to put underperforming schools under external management.
In Tasmania, we are also seeing the state government’s intervention with schools facing either mergers or closures. Schools have until 2014 to amalgamate or close before the government will initiate forced closures.
A-ZGovBIZ News will continue to report on the structural changes within the education sector throughout 2013. One thing is for certain – the schools sector is changing and suppliers need to keep up to date with this changing landscape.
