Budget provides certainty for Catholic schools

The Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) has welcomed federal budget measures that provide continued funding certainty for Catholic schools in Queensland.

Executive Director Dr Lee-Anne-Perry said the state’s 309 Catholic schools and 29 kindergartens continue to work in close partnership with the Federal Government to provide choice in education for Queensland families.

Dr Perry said key elements from the budget included:

• Record education spending of $24.4 billion including $14.7 billion for non-government schools, which are primarily funded by the federal government
• A proposed four-year agreement for $2 billion in funding for a new national agreement on kindergarten (pre-school) funding
• $16.6 million to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to attend boarding schools
• $20 million to continue the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on students with disability.

Dr Perry said it was pleasing to see the proposal for a four-year agreement on kindergarten funding.

“QCEC and the Catholic sector nationally has lobbied the government for some time to move away from year-to-year funding and provide long term certainty for the early childhood sector,” Dr Perry said.

“The Catholic sector relies on our strong partnerships with both federal and state governments to ensure our schools and kindergartens can continue to deliver high quality education and can expand to meet demand in high-growth areas,” she said.

“The budget measures announced by the Treasurer ensure our sector can move forward with confidence.”

QCEC will continue to advocate strongly with all levels of government to ensure all students in all sectors are treated equitably and have access to the best possible learning outcomes.