NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced a 5.2 per cent increase, an additional $1.08 million, in needs-based recurrent funding for Northern Tablelands public schools in 2018.

Schools across the Northern Tablelands electorate will receive more than $22 million next year.

Inverell Public School will receive $1,051,230, an increase of $109,554 from this year, while Inverell High School will receive an additional $87, 997, with $1,166,980 promised in 2018. 

Ashford Central School is tipped to receive $539,627, Bingara Central School, $433,419, Bundarra Central School $366,491 and Delungra Public School $99,337. Emmaville Central School is promised $291,747, Gilgai Public School $194,302 and Gum Flat Public School $42,643.

A passionate advocate of the Gonski educations reforms, Mr Marshall said this additional support was a result of the NSW Government being the first to sign up to and fully fund the Gonski education agreement, which will deliver $5 billion in additional funding to NSW students over six years.

He said that this year, the fourth under the needs-based allocation model, funding for Northern Tablelands schools increased by $4 million.

“With these extra resources for 2018, our local Northern Tablelands schools will benefit from an additional $12.57 million in recurrent funding under the NSW Government’s Resource Allocation Model (RAM) – and there’s still more to come,” Mr Marshall said.

“In total, the 59 Northern Tablelands public schools will receive $22.06 million in needs based equity funding next year.

“It’s what NSW public schools have always wanted – a significant increase in funding guaranteed into the future, with the greatest benefits flowing to schools and students with the greatest need.

“This would not have happened without the leadership of former Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and a determination to put the needs of students first in our education system, not politics.”

Mr Marshall said the announcement built on those increases and he was confident school communities and principals would be delighted at the prospect of planning the use of their additional funds.

“The core of the state government’s Local Schools, Local Decisions reforms is to put decision-making about students and school communities with the people who know them best – the principals, school staff and parents,” he said.

“The distribution of funds on a needs basis under the RAM gives them exactly that opportunity.

“Many schools in the Northern Tablelands electorate will see additional benefits in areas such as literacy and numeracy support, teachers’ professional development and community engagement.

“I continue to urge the Federal Government to commit to fully funding the original Gonski agreement between the Commonwealth and NSW – country schools and students benefit the most from these reforms.”