Defend public education - Say no to user pays!
SP Newsletter No.186
With the federal election campaign gearing up you might have expected a real debate between the major parties on how to improve our ailing education system. Even in the face of Australia’s much-touted skills crisis both the Liberals and Labor are singing the same tune.
This year’s budget papers show that Australia is the only OECD country in which education spending is expected to fall as a proportion of total government expenditure – from 7.7% in 2005-06 to 7.4% in 2010-11.
Instead of a massive, desperately needed boost in education spending, and a real debate about the future direction of education policy, we have seen both Howard and Rudd remain true to their neo-liberal philosophy of cuts and user pays. Howard has in fact redoubled his efforts to privatise the entire system and minimize government spending.
In May 2007, Federal Treasurer Peter Costello further shifted public education policy towards a US-styled privatised model, by creating a $5 billion Higher Education Endowment Fund. The fund’s apparent purpose is to pay for university infrastructure and research facilities. But the fund will only generate around $300 million a year for Australia’s 38 universities, which is about the same amount committed by the Keating Government back in 1992.
This return is only “a fraction of the return the Government could get by directly investing in recurrent funding of childminding, preschool, school and higher educationâ€, according to Kenneth Davidson, a senior business columnist with The Age newspaper. The budget also removed the cap on the number of full-fee paying students that universities can enrol.
Similarly, the Howard Government says its recent decision to assume control of a Tasmanian public hospital may pave the way for takeovers in other sectors like education. This follows much speculation over a renewed emphasis on ‘tied grants’ to control how Commonwealth money is spent by educational institutions. Howard has made $31 billion in funding over four years conditional on schools flying the Australian flag, offering two hours of physical activity a week and providing ‘plain language’ report cards.
Howard wants the next four-year agreement with the state governments to be conditional on the introduction of performance pay for teachers. Howard has also made $220 million a year of extra higher education funding conditional on universities offering staff individual contracts and ensuring collective agreements do not allow automatic union representation of staff. Meanwhile, $4.4 billion over four years in vocational education and training funding has been made conditional on states agreeing to introduce individual contracts in the TAFE sector.
Howard has been allowed to get away with such outrageous education policies because the ‘opposition’ of Rudd’s Labor Party has completely failed to offer any alternative vision. Rudd has no alternative to a user pays system in education and has even refused to promise to rescind Howard’s Voluntary Student Union laws.
In one of the most crucial changes in higher education in decades – which threatens the future of mass tertiary-level education in Australia – Rudd and new Victorian ALP Premier Brumby have backed Melbourne University’s plan to bring in US-style graduate-based model. The plan, called ‘Growing Esteem’, will shift the traditional focus of education from undergraduate level to graduate level, where the university stands to increase its revenue. In the process student numbers will be cut by 10,000 (20-25%), as well as staff numbers, and many courses which don’t quite fit the ‘new generation’ degrees – including gender studies and creative arts – will be largely rolled back.
Neither major party’s education policy has anything to offer ordinary students. Under Liberal or Labor education will only be for the rich who can afford it. A user pays system will place more pressure on individual students, forcing many to abandon their education. Education should be a right for all, not a privilege for the few. The public education system must be defended.
Rouge Education Conference in Melbourne
The Socialist Party encourages students and trade union activists to attend the Rouge Education Conference being held at Trades Hall in Melbourne on the 14th - 16th September 2007. This conference will be based on three major themes: Institutions, Capitalism & Dissent.
For more info or to download the full program click here
Join the Socialist Party
If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.
We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to overthrow the capitalist system. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. For more information about joining in your area contact the SP National Office. 0396399111
SP subscriber List
Become a supporter of SP today! Join our subscribers list - only $20 per year or $10 concession. You will receive our newspaper ‘The Socialist’, delivered to your door every month, and our email newsletter every week. You will also know that you are supporting a party that is at the fore of the fight back against Howard and against capitalism. Contact the SP National Office now on 0396399111 to join the list.
The Socialist
Issue 37 of SP’s monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’ is out now! Readers can pick up a copy at our regular street stalls, from our National Office or by joining the SP subscriber’s list. This month’s paper features articles on the IR laws, world economy, Australia Post dispute, NT Emergency Response Bill, public education, The United Nations, East Timor and a report from our councillor in Yarra.
SP on My Space!
My Space is an online forum for networking. You can use it to chat, share photos, videos and journals. SP is using it to promote our party and meet people interested in anti-capitalist and socialist politics. Check out our site here
Regional Activity
Victoria
The SP Melbourne Branch meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall in Carlton South. 1st Floor Corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets. This week the Melbourne branch will host a members meeting which will discuss Stalinism.
New South Wales
To find out more info or to join SP in Sydney contact Gary - 02 9728 7727
To find out more info or to join SP in Newcastle contact Samantha - 02 4968 1545
Western Australia
To find out more info or to join SP in Perth contact John on – 08 9402 0728
Please note childcare is available at all SP meetings but only by prior arrangement please call ahead first.
News links just a click away –
US: Seattle school board restricts military recruitment
Click here
Britain: ‘The Socialist’ newspaper celebrates 500 issues
Click here
Chile: Working class action alters political landscape
Click here
Get Active - Join the fight back, Get Militant - Join the Socialist Party
The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI).
To contact or join the SP or CWI anywhere in Australia or the world call our National Office
++61 3 9639 9111
‘Workers of the world unite – you’ve got nothing to lose but your chains’
