Gonski !

Few would disagree that our school system is badly in need of improvement.  The Gonski report laid out a framework of what needs to be done - and that involves a massive injection of money.  The suggested formulae is for the states to match each two dollars provided from Canberra with a dollar contribution from their own state resources.

The plan under consideration is less than Gonski requested, but it is still an injection of $ 14.5 billion over six years, and would deliver $ 9271 in education expenses for every primary student and $ 12,193 for each student enrolled in a High school.

The aim is wonderful.   This money is designed to attract better teachers and provide the support needed to lift challenged students to a higher level.  If it meets it's objectives, all students will leave school having attained acceptable literary and numeracy standards to equip them for their passage through life.

The sticking point for many - is the fact that this massive amount of money will be under the control of the government - and governments do not have an admirable track record of spending money wisely.  There is a very real danger that six years down the track very little will have changed in school results.  The money will have been frittered away by an army of experts pushing their own ideological barrows - and like many previous government seemingly bright ideas - lack of objectivity and discipline will have  allowed results to stray way off course.

The cynical will remember the " school buildings "  revolution - and the disaster when a government plan sought to provide roof insulation across Australian homes.   In both cases, lack of commercial experience sent both projects awry - and delivered " unintended consequences ".

One of the aims of the Gonski mission is to lift students with speech impediments by providing " speech therapists ".   Once money becomes available for an approved function, there will be a tendency for the numbers to grow and it would not be surprising if many such support functions did not quickly spin out of control.   Such is the danger of trying to embrace reform with a wide brush.

Teaching skill upgrades are another source of danger.   The militant teachers union will try and have a very big say in what changes are implemented, and the focus of unions is more on the benefits that accrue to members than the outcome that awaits students.    A lot will depend on how seriously the governments implementing of Gonski will demand change.   Not all Gonski aims will meet teacher union approval - and that sort of change is critical to a successful outcome.

Implementing Gonski is going to draw money away from a lot of Federal and State government instrumentality's.   It will be worth it - if they get it right !    

The big question is whether the government has both the skill and the determination to achieve what it promises !