Students organise against education cuts

By Merrie Caruana, Tegan Brink and Kristy Koglin

ADELAIDE -- A new student group is campaigning to stop the Brown government from implementing cuts to education recommended in the recent audit report. Secondary Students Against Cuts, a Resistance-initiated campaign, was launched at a teachers' protest rally in May.

Before the state election last December, the Liberal Party promised a $240 million increase to education. In government, its tune has changed. The May Audit Commission report proposes a $40 million cut to primary and secondary education. If adopted, these recommendations will lead to an increase in class sizes, and the closure and amalgamation of many metropolitan schools.

The audit proposed a cut of 931 teaching jobs and 680 special service jobs, which will affect laboratory assistants, English language teachers, school counsellors and disabled students' teachers. In the Education Department, 1200 jobs have been recommended for the chop.

Fewer teachers will mean limits on subject choices; there will be less student-teacher contact, lowering the overall quality of education, and many students will find it harder to go on to tertiary education.

Proposed cuts to the school card system (which provides free public transport to and from school and subsidises books and fees), will hurt many students and their families, who will have to reconsider schooling options.

Secondary Students Against Cuts aims to convince the Brown government not to implement the audit commission's recommendations. A petition to this effect is circulating, and a newsletter will be released by the beginning of the third school term. If you can help, contact (08) 231 6982.

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