By CASEY NEILL
CUTS to Gonski school funding will make life harder for struggling students, Dandenong North Primary principal Kevin Mackay says.
The Federal Government last week announced it would only fund four years of the six-year Gonski school funding plan, saving about $30 billion.
“The funding for only the first four years is akin to putting a band-aid on an arterial tear,” Mr Mackay said.
His school has 660 students from 51 different nationalities and cultural groups, and 70 per cent don’t speak English as their first language at home.
Up to 50 new arrivals to Australia start at the school each year, many traumatised and without prior school experience.
“It is a challenge to catch those children up,” Mr Mackay said.
“It takes us three years to get them fluent in English – in writing and reading and listening and speaking.
“Then the challenge is still there, to catch up for lost time for the time they couldn’t speak English.
“Gonski actually recognised that.”
He said his classrooms needed “manageable groups” so teachers could provide intensive intervention.
“To do that you need money to pay for extra teachers,” he said.
In a submission to the Senate Select Committee on School Funding, Wooranna Park Primary principal Ray Trotter said the Dandenong North school had 361 students from 45 ethnic backgrounds.
He said the Gonski funding would help to support students from non-English speaking backgrounds, address social and welfare issues like students coming to school without breakfast and lunch, and support staff development programs.
“Disadvantaged schools need this funding if we are going to come anywhere near creating a level playing field for our students,” he said.
