Push for more funds to help at-risk kids

MORE Federal Government funding could be the key to stopping students from misbehaving and having to be removed from school.

The Queensland Teachers’ Union urged Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to reverse the “$1.9 billion cut in public school funding” so principals could hire more guidance counsellors to help children and young people with behavioural issues.

The Federal Government provides 20 per cent of state school funding and 80 per cent of funding for private schools, QTU Toowoomba representative Liam Holcombe said.

“We would love to see more guidance officers, especially in our primary and special schools,” Mr Holcombe said.

“The needs in those early years to help students around managing their behaviours is very important.”

Mr Birmingham said there was sufficient federal money flowing into state schools.

“This means there’s no reason schools won’t be able to continue to support teachers and new or existing initiatives, such as specialist teachers or targeted intervention programs,” he said.

“Also, following a recent review into how to ensure our record and growing investment in schools is used as effectively as possible, we will work with the states and territories and school systems to ensure schools and teachers are armed with the most effective and evidence-based methods and reforms to help deliver better outcomes for Australian students.”