Rally against education cuts

More than 4000 teachers, school support staff, parents and students rallied outside the South Australian parliament on June 14. The rally, called by the Australian Education Union (AEU), protested the "efficiency dividends" announced in the recent state budget, which will result in funding cuts of $50,000-$100,000 to most schools.

If implemented, these so-called efficiencies will force schools to either cut essential programs such as support for students with special needs, library resourcing and technology, or else cut staff.

On June 19, AEU president Andrew Gohl said that "cuts of that magnitude mean one thing — an attack on kids' opportunity to learn. Schools will be forced to cut staff, cut programs or both. Preschools will be forced to choose between employing a teacher or employing an early childhood worker, when the reality is they need both."

AEU members are planning a one hour stop-work for June 28.

From GLW issue 715