Catholic schools predict $250m in cuts

Catholic schools have predicted their coffers will be $250 million short across the country this year and next.

In a memo from the National Catholic Education Commission to deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek’s office, the organisation has revealed it expects only Northern Territory schools will receive a bump in federal government funding.

The memo, sent to Labor’s education spokeswoman in January, highlights the biggest cuts in NSW, with an expected $71.2 million cut in 2018 and 2019.

Victoria and Queensland follow with estimated respective cuts of $63.1 million and $56.9 million.

The Northern Territory was forecast to receive an additional $1.8 million.

The calculations compare anticipated funding for Catholic system schools under the new funding system, compared with allocations anticipated under previous government funding policies and the opposition’s current policy.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met with three senior Catholic archbishops earlier this month to address concerns around non-government school funding.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham has promised “absolute certainty” for all school sectors of funds in the future.

He is consulting with the sector on a new funding model following a report released by the National School Resourcing Board two weeks ago into socio-economic status (SES) scores.