No. 22 
$59.5 million in ACT Budget continues Government’s commitment to Education

The Government is investing an extra $59.5 million in the education of ACT students with $31.8 million in new recurrent funding and $27.7 million in capital spending in the 2010-11 Budget.

Minister for Education and Training, Andrew Barr, said today this additional funding brought the total ACT education budget to a record $502.1 million – an increase of $168.1 million since Labor was elected in 2001.

“The ACT Government is committed to providing the best education possible for ACT students and this Budget continues our record funding of education,” Mr Barr said.

“Investing in our children is an investment in the future and through this Budget we will continue to invest in new and better schools and quality teaching.

“This Budget invests more than $31 million in new recurrent initiatives, including:

•	$14.4 million over four years to fund new schools;
•	$9.1 million over three years for Productivity Places and skills – a national partnership initiative;
•	$3.9 million over four years to establish the ACT Quality Teacher Institute;
•	$1.6 million over four years to support students with a disability;
•	$1.1 million over four years to support our Earn or Learn policy – a national partnership with the Commonwealth Government;
•	$600,000 over two years for the implementation of the School Based Management Review through trialling a tiered system of principal autonomy for managing school-based staffing; and
•	$300,000 over four years for swimming and survival skills in schools.

“It also provides $27.7 million in capital funding, including:

•	$5.3 million for the expansion of the Red Hill Primary School; 
•	$2 million for an expanded gymnasium at the new Harrison High School;
•	$1.950 million for the forward design of a primary school in Molonglo;
•	$1.8 million for the forward design of a primary school in Bonner;
•	$1.4 million for the forward design of an early childhood school at Franklin;
•	$1.250 million for a carpark and traffic safety program at schools;
•	$1.4 million for various ICT initiatives including online student enrolments and upgrades to the Board of Senior Secondary Studies IT System; and
•	$12.6 million for capital upgrades in schools including security fencing for five schools, environmentally sustainable design initiatives in schools, teaching area improvements at various schools and school infrastructure improvements. 

Mr Barr said education had always been, and would continue to be, a priority for the ACT Labor Government.

“The ACT Government has invested record funding in upgrading all public schools, as well as building new schools where they are needed most,” Mr Barr said.

“We have also made investments to lower class sizes for every year of schooling, to ensure no student is left behind in literacy and numeracy and to pay our teachers competitive salaries.

“This Budget continues our commitment to ACT families and students.”

4 May 2010
Media contact:		Paul Kindermann	6205 1690 (w)	0403 600 955 (m)
			paul.kindermann@act.gov.au