Expert report on regional and remote schools ignored

Sadly, the Albanese government has sidelined most of the NSRB’s recommendations.

Three recommendations were flicked to the temporary the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System due to report in October. This ad hoc body has neither the time nor expertise to assess such complex issues. Why not let the designated expert body, the NRSB, do this task?  Moreover, the NSRB clearly stated its desire to do the proposed survey of a representative sample schools to assess the operating costs of schools with different characteristics.

Of the other eight recommendations, three were rejected. Another three were “noted” or under “further consideration” – political euphemisms for ignoring them. For one recommendation to improve data for students with disability the government is “accelerating its work” to achieve this, but no deadline is set. Another recommendation is understandably delayed because of COVID impacts.

By ignoring or sidelining most of the recommendations of its own legislated expert schools funding body, the Albanese government clearly does not share the NSRB’s concerns about out-of-date information, poor transparency about federal funding allocations, or the states’ unwillingness to supply essential, requested data.