Coalition Education meeting supports greater

Commonwealth-State relations were at the top of the agenda at a meeting today in Melbourne of Coalition Education and Shadow Education Ministers from across the country.

The meeting was held a week out from this year's first Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) meeting and provided an opportunity to discuss key aspects of the Coalition's education agenda and Commonwealth-State relations.

Coalition Ministers and Shadow Ministers of Education from the Australian Government, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory discussed issues of common interest in the development of education policy.

Convened by Victorian Education Minister and this year's Chair of MCEECDYA, Martin Dixon, the Ministers and Shadow Ministers expressed concern about the Gillard Government's review of school funding led by David Gonski, and stressed the need to maintain funding levels for non-government schools and indexation reflecting the increasing costs of school education.

At the meeting, Coalition members reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining funding for public education for which state governments are the primary funders.

"Australian families are facing increased costs of living. The last thing families need is an increase in school fees to cover a funding shortfall," Mr Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training, said.

The Ministers and Shadow Ministers agreed that all jurisdictions should move toward greater school autonomy recognising the need for accountability arrangements that support this, as well as Government policies at national and state levels that provide incentives to move in this direction.

Mr Dixon said there was unanimous agreement among the group that despite different jurisdictional arrangements there should be no barriers to achieving greater autonomy at the school level.

"The group discussed the importance of school autonomy, giving appropriate responsibility and authority to school principals, their leadership teams and school councils to manage their schools and drive improved school outcomes locally," Mr Dixon said.

"Some states already have a reasonable degree of autonomy in their schools, while others are just starting down this path. This means there will need to be different approaches taken, however, we are in agreement in achieving the same goal.

"The Federal Labor Government needs to respect the differences and uniqueness of state and territory school systems and the growing desire of principals to influence their school outcomes."

On the matter of the national curriculum, yet to be signed off by MCEECDYA Ministers by the end of the year, Coalition Ministers and Shadow Ministers of Education agreed that the curriculum must be developed and implemented with careful consideration to ensure that a national curriculum raises standards across Australian schools, and protects the choices of school principals in terms of the system which best suits their needs.

"The key is to get it right rather than getting it done on time. If we are to achieve this goal we must ensure that the process is not rushed and we must be confident that it provides real improvements in student outcomes," Mr Dixon said

Mr Dixon said the group made a commitment to continue meeting, at least twice each year, to agree on key elements of policy reform in education and to share knowledge and best practice from across jurisdictions.

Media Contact:

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Office of the Hon Christopher Pyne MP

In attendance:

Hon Christopher Pyne MP

Federal Shadow Minister for Education Apprenticeships and Training

Hon Martin Dixon MP

Victorian Minister for Education

David Pisoni MP

South Australian Shadow Minister for Education

Dr Bruce Flegg MP

Queensland Shadow Minister for Education and Training

Michael Ferguson MP

Tasmanian Shadow Minister for Education and skills

Steve Doszpot MLA

ACT Shadow Minister for Education and Training

Peter Chandler MLA

NT Shadow Minister assisting on Education