Media release – Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO), 20 November 2023
Need to Alleviate Parent and Volunteer Fundraising Burden
There is a pressing need for minimum government funding to ensure all government schools are adequately resourced and equipped to educate our students, the Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO) says.
It also says that it should not be the responsibility of the school community to fundraise to meet the essential resourcing needs of their children’s school.
“The responsibility for funding basic necessities such as seating, furniture, heating and cooling, laptops, play equipment, as well as building repairs and maintenance, lies squarely with the state and federal government,” Krissy McCance, TASSO President, said.
“It is time for a fundamental shift in funding dynamics. We urge the government to fully fund government schools to at least 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS).
“TASSO believes that the government’s current funding practices are creating a harmful divide within the education space pitting government and non-government schools against each other.
“Every child deserves their schooling to meet the minimum educational standards, and the unfair division of funding is fostering unnecessary divisions.
“The government must take immediate action to alleviate the funding disparity and eliminate the need for fundraising for bare necessities.”
Ms McCance encouraged families to work with teachers to ensure each child was seen, and their schooling was meeting their individual educational needs.
“A parent’s valuable volunteering time should not be used to help pay for maintenance of the building but instead to be used to help the education system understand and meet the needs of every child,” she said.
“The 100 per cent SRS funding is only for the basics after all.”
As TASSO continues its advocacy for a fair, equitable, and transparent education funding system in Tasmania, the organisation urgently calls on the State Government to prioritise full funding for government schools.
TASSO maintains that proper funding is essential to eliminate disparities, provide equal opportunities for all students, and build a robust foundation for the future of education in Tasmania.”
