State Budget 2012-13: Supporting our Community - Non-government teachers receive salary boost

• State Budget provides additional financial assistance to non-government schools

• Funding recognises the increasing cost of teachers' salaries

• $10.4million to be provided over 2 years

Teachers working in the non-government sector will benefit from the flow-on effects of the State Government's recent EBA agreement making Western Australian public school teachers among the highest paid in the nation.

An additional $10.4million in financial assistance for the non-government school sector is included in the 2012-13 State Budget.

"The additional funding will help non-government schools pay the same increases in salaries as Government school teachers," Education Minister Liz Constable said today.

This assistance for non-government schools was first instigated in 1994 when the Liberal government granted additional funds to Catholic and non-Catholic independent schools to assist them to pay increases in teachers' salaries.

However, when teachers' salaries rose in 2004 and 2006 under the previous Labor government, additional funding was only provided to Catholic schools.

"When Government teachers' salaries again increased in 2008, the Liberal-National Government made sure that the financial assistance flowed through to both Catholic and non-Catholic schools," Dr Constable said.

The additional funding will only be provided to low and mid-fee schools.

"By excluding high-fee, well-resourced schools from the financial assistance package, the additional $10.4million can go to those schools that need it the most," the Minister said.

On average, the additional funding equates to an extra $17,000 for a small primary school with 200 students, increasing to more than $100,000 for larger secondary schools.

"More than a third of all students attend non-government schools. This funding will help the non-government sector provide the highest quality education possible WA children."

      Fact File

• Non-government schools are funded by both State and Federal governments

• 140,000 students attend non-govt schools in WA

• Following a pay rise to Govt school teachers there is an 18 month time lag before the increases flow through to non-govt schools due to delays in available financial data

• WA Budget statements are available at http://ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au

Minister's office - 6552 5700