Record Education Spend Secures NT’s Future
The Finocchiaro CLP Government is investing a record $1.6 billion in education and training, including $120 million for vocational and higher education to secure the future of the Territory.
Minister for Education and Training Jo Hersey said: “We are committed to investing in the future of our children, and our CLP Government is driving reforms to improve school attendance and hold parents accountable for ensuring their children go to school.”
“In our year of action, certainty and security we’ve allocated $12.9 million to boost school attendance through the school attendance officer program, an increase of more than $4 million from last year,” said Mrs Hersey.
“Parents who deprive their children of an education will be referred for income management with the Commonwealth.”
Since the introduction of School Attendance Officers, there has been a reduction of over 450 students on the intensive support role compared to the same period last year.
Key budget investments include:
$976.6 million for Government Education.$343.3 million for Non-Government Education.$40 million for on country learning to improve educational outcomes in Central Australia.$28.6 million to support apprenticeships and traineeships.$14.2 million to boost literacy and numeracy in government schools to get back to basics.$13.8 million to attract and keep teachers in government schools.$12.9 million to boost school attendance through the school attendance officer program, an increase of more than $4 million from last year.$3 million to continue the swimming in schools program with free swimming lessons for all primary school students years 1 to 6.$3 million for the school-based police program.$1.9 million to expand qualified school counsellors in schools.
The budget for early childhood education and care services is $25.7 million, a decrease of $4.5 million compared to the year prior.
The decrease is primarily due to timing, where time-limited Australian Government funding agreements of $3.3 million cease prior to 30 June 2025 which are pending renegotiation, and $1 million of funds carried over from prior years which were one-off for the 2024-25 Budget only.
The Budget delivers on the CLP’s commitment to increase the permanent classroom teacher workforce to 75% by 2027.
“We want people to move to the Territory, especially teachers from down south,” said Mrs Hersey.
“This is a victim-first budget that is strong on crime and addresses the root causes of it. We are reversing Labor’s weak-on-crime legacy and doing what we can to keep Territorians safe.
“While being strong on crime, this budget invests $13.8 million for keeping and attracting teachers in government schools, by giving them financial certainty and moving them off short-term contracts into permanent positions so they have confidence to put down roots and stay in the Territory.
“Our commitment is to increase the permanent classroom teacher workforce to 75% by 2027, and we are well on our way to achieving this. As of now, 69% of classroom teachers are permanent employees, which is an increase of 6.7% compared to the same time last year.”
https://nt.gov.au/