EOFY – What does this mean for teachers?

Image – Mikhail Nilov

“Education costs money, but then so does ignorance.”

Claus Moser

What does the end of the financial year mean for teachers? Teachers pay tax as they earn (PAYE). How much tax you contribute is displayed on your payslip as a line item, listed in between other line items. Perhaps it is designed this way – hidden in plain sight.

What happens to the personal income tax that the Government collects? If press releases and the endless media cycle tells us anything it is that the current drive for education to be fully funded! The GONSKI Review laid out a model to fully fund schools to meet student needs. The dust has settled on the report of the GONSKI Review and we now see that Government spending on education is less significant than other areas like Defence.

In this sense the end of the financial year is a reminder for teachers that education is not a funding priority for government. This is not limited to either of the major parties, rather than a statement of the value held for teachers. This may sound harsh, but the reality can be seen in the in the headlines that are churned out every year, like clockwork, attacking teachers for everything and anything but never about the issue that is the lack of funding for education.

Teacher unions continue to campaign for increased funding for education. Government Ministers seem to have the uncanny ability to smile on cue and push responsibility for funding to and from one tier of government to the other. Robert Fulghum quipped “it will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need, and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber.”

What do bombers, submarines and long-range missiles have in common?

The need for a well-funded education system!

Bombers need pilots and engineers, all of whom need to be able to read, write and apply learning.

Submarines need engineers and sailors, all of whom need to be able to read, write and apply learning. It would appear to be a zero-sum argument, but nothing can be further from the truth.

Governments have the responsibility, and the resources to determine public policy and provide services to the community. Political ideology in combination with religious and social perspectives have created and sustained the so-called Culture and Climate wars.

Government can make the policy that will deliver the full funding to schools.

Your personal income tax hard at work.