shows, on average, governments provided $20,182 in funding per public school student, and $13,189 per non-government school student.While it’s an inconvenient truth to the vocal opponents of faith-based schools, Australia is a pluralist society.
Pluralism is not a placard to promote the rights of faith communities alone, it underpins the rights of all Australians to express their beliefs and to associate freely within the confines of the law and reasonable regulation. It lies at the heart of what it means to be Australian – a fair go for all and to live and let live – without over-reach from the state.Faith-based schools aren’t the only non-government schools that receive funding.
We must also acknowledge that addressing Australia’s declining educational performance is not just about funding. Despite successive governments spending more, the learning of our young people, across all sectors, is still lagging. This is a long and complex shopping list of reforms, which for the most part are in various stages of progress, but there is a long way to go.
We all know who is to blame. JFC.