National funds crisis forcing school cuts

TOWNSVILLE schools are among those across the country in the grip of a financial crisis and facing having to cut student programs.

Fires, floods, drought and the COVID-19 pandemic have depleted the coffers of some of our poorest schools and even impacted some of the wealthiest ones.

Schools in every state and territory are increasingly having to beg charities and corporates just to pay for the basics.

The pandemic has exposed public schools’ reliance on parents dipping into their own pockets, and without those contributions many schools are facing financial black holes that some say will take up to five years to recover from.

In Townsville, schools in Belgian Gardens, Cape Cleveland, Castle Hill, North Ward, Pallarenda, Railway Estate, Rowes Bay, Shelly Beach, South Townsville, Town Common, Townsville, Townsville City and West End have reported suffering financial hardship.

Across the country, some schools are reporting students will miss out on “extras” such as devices, sporting programs, excursions and courses for students who need extra support.

A survey by Australian charity Schools Plus – which helps connect donors with schools in need to improve student outcomes – found more than one-third of schools had been impacted financially this year.

Almost 50 per cent of respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected students’ learning, while almost one-quarter said they needed more help to support the mental and physical wellbeing of students and teachers.

With so many families affected financially by the pandemic, some states put a ban on schools asking for the fees earlier this year but that is now being lifted.

Some Queensland schools have been asking parents for their voluntary contributions, which an education spokesman said was a longstanding practice and voluntary, and that “the department will continue to work closely with schools to monitor their financial circumstances and to ensure they have the resources they need to meet their obligations”.

Deakin University senior lecturer in education Emma Rowe said most schools were too heavily reliant on parent contributions.

She said in some cases, schools in more affluent areas were receiving four times the amount of parent contributions compared to those in less affluent suburbs.

“When you set up that reliance you are going to see a situation like this where the gap will increasingly widen,” Ms Rowe said.

“Schools will see an impact on their income this year without doubt, especially the lower socio-economic schools.”