THE NSW Teachers Federation on Monday reminded voters in Orange that billions of dollars in education funding will go on the line in the upcoming state and federal elections.
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NSW Teachers Federation vice president Henry Rajendra said he wanted to send a strong message to the people in the electorate that public schools funding should be front of mind when they fill in their ballot slips.
"At the federal level, [Prime Minister] Scott Morrison has made it very clear that public schooling and its funding is not a priority. That is a major concern of all public schools committees across the state," Mr Rajendra said.
"We are doing our utmost that everyone is aware that Scott Morrison is showing no interest or prioritising public education and public schooling in the Central West.
The Morrison government must reverse the $14 billion it has cut from funding for public schools like those in the Central West of NSW.
- NSW Teachers Federation
"Alternatively, the Labor Party has announced $14 billion extra in funding for schools over the next 10 years, which we welcome."
He said he wants to make sure the community is aware of that funding policy.
On Monday Mr Rajendra visited Orange High School and also met with teachers from the Orange Teachers Association as part of his three-day visit to the region.
"We are travelling with the van from school to school in the area," he said.
The NSW Teachers Federation said its 10 campaign vans were on the road around Australia to highlight the need to restore need-based funding to public schools.
"The Morrison government must reverse the $14 billion it has cut from funding for public schools like those in the Central West of NSW," a NSW Teachers Federation statement read.
"New figures have revealed that the Morrison government's school funding legislation will actually leave 99 per cent of public schools below the Schooling Resource Standard by 2023.
"In fact, less than half of all public schools will even reach 95 per cent of the SRS by this date. By contrast, nearly 99 per cent of private schools in Australia will be funded at, or in excess of, the Schooling Resource Standard by 2023."
It said if Labor forms government after the next federal election, Orange High School would get an additional $1,310,000 in funding over the next three years.
Elsewhere in the region, Bathurst Public School would get $610,000; Portland Central School $220,000; and Spring Hill Public School $60,000, according to the NSW Teachers Federation.
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