School website misleading without funding data

Commenting on the decision of Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard to post individual school test results to a website without the promised funding data ('Gillard urged to publish funding details,' Sydney Morning Herald, 16 September 2009, p. 5), Dr Kaye said: "The so-called 'transparency agenda' just became opaque.
 
"Throughout the debate about the website, both education ministers relied on the availability of 'rich contextual information' to claim that the data will not undermine schools that support disadvantaged communities.
 
"Now they are pushing ahead with their name-and-shame website without a key component of that context.
 
"In the absence informational about funding from state and federal governments and private sources such as fees and donations, meaningful comparisons become even more difficult to make.
 
"Minister Gillard has folded to pressure from the private school lobby to stop the publication of school funding data.
 
"If NSW Education Minister Verity Firth is serious about the importance of rich contextual information, she will withhold NSW test results until her federal colleague fulfils her part of the National Education Agreement and posts the promised school funding data," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455