Education will be a centerpiece of tomorrow’s Budget, with students and parents across NSW benefiting from a record investment in 190 new and upgraded schools, 4600 new teachers and psychologists and social workers in every high school.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell at Kent Road Public School to announce an unprecedented $18.5 billion Education Budget in 2019-20 alone – an increase of $1.2 billion on the previous year.
The Budget includes an extra $600 million in recurrent spending and $600 million in capital spending in 2019-20.
Ms Berejiklian said the record investment is part of the NSW Government’s plan to have the best education system in Australia, if not the world.
“We are delivering on our promise to provide a quality education to students, no matter where they live or what their circumstances may be,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Mr Perrottet said the funding demonstrated the NSW Government’s commitment to delivering a world class education system for the students of NSW.
“We don’t run surpluses for the sake of it,” Mr Perrottet said. “We run surpluses so we can give young people every opportunity to be their best.
“This record school funding is only possible as a result of strong economic management.”
Ms Mitchell said this Budget recognises the complexity of our education system.
“Not only is this Budget focused on continuing to deliver our record school infrastructure program and hiring new teachers – it also recognises the importance of mental health to student outcomes, as well as the crucial role that quality teachers play in educating our children,” Ms Mitchell said.
In another historic first, the Government will be investing $1.3 billion to clear the maintenance backlog in all public schools left by the former Labor Government by July 2020.
“All students should have the opportunity to work in the best environments possible – and this means ensuring that the 16 years of neglect of our public schools by the former Labor government never happens again,” Ms Mitchell said.
Education Budget highlights:
- $6.7 billion over the next four years to deliver 190 new and upgraded schools
- $88.4 million to hire a full time psychologist and social worker in every government high school
- $120 million over four years to expand before and after school care to make it available to all parents with kids at government primary schools
- $500 million over four years to support non-government schools in building facilities to provide more student places in growing communities
- $20 million over four years for new and existing pre-schools to build renovate or extend their facilities.