The St George Teachers Association rallied for improved conditions to public school education, stating that they feel ‘abandoned’ by the government.
Teachers protested in Montgomery Street Kogarah outside the office of Liberal member for Barton, Nick Varvaris, on May 18.
The association argued that the federal budget confirmed that the Coalition members for Barton and Banks have abandoned students in St George.
Protesters said there was a failure to fully implement the funding model recommended by the independent Gonski review, and was a betrayal of students and the broader community.
Secretary of the St George Teachers Association Julie Izzard said schools were not able to reach their full potential.
“The Gonski review recommended a funding model that would bring schools up to a minimum resource standard,” she said.
“The refusal of the Coalition to implement the last two years of Gonski means that schools will not be able to reach this minimum standard.
“Teachers and community members across St George want to know which schools, the members for Barton and Banks believe, should be denied this minimum standard of resourcing?
“Which students should be denied the opportunity to reach their potential because the government lacks vision and the political will to support them?”
She said teachers across St George had communicated the positive difference that additional Gonski funding was making.
“This needs based funding is helping teachers to support our most disadvantaged students,” she said.
“Teachers are implementing programs to support students in many ways, such as creating smaller class sizes, literacy and numeracy programs, programs for students with disability as well as supporting newly arrived migrants and gifted students.”
She said members for Barton and Banks, through their support of this budget, were turning their backs on students.
“They are ignoring the professional advice of teachers across the country,” she said.
“The failure of this government to implement the last two years of the Gonski agreement will sadly mean that many of the great programs will end and our students will miss out on the support they need to reach their potential.
“...It displays a destructive lack of vision.
“The government may talk about jobs and growth, but sadly, these words will remain mere political slogans whilst ever they ignore the importance of the last two years of Gonski and the transformative power of education.
“At a time of high youth unemployment in St George, it is imperative that the full Gonski be implemented.”
St George Teachers Association representative, Glenn Hokin, supports full Gonski funding.
“Individual targeted funding is making a real difference for students,” he said.
