Minister for School Education Peter Garrett today visited Berwick Secondary College with local member Laura Smyth to discuss the National Plan for School Improvement with students, teachers and parents.

“The Gillard Government has a plan that will benefit every school and every student in Australia, including here in Berwick,” Minister Garrett said.

“Under our plan, funding for every school will rise every year, and the extra money will be spent on things we know will help improve results – like investing in great teachers, focusing on school improvement, and giving more power to local principals.

“We want Australia to be in the top five countries in the world in school performance by 2025.”

Mr Garrett attended a special assembly at the school where he answered questions from students before meeting with teachers and parents to talk about the Gillard Government’s education reforms.

Ms Smyth said it was a great opportunity for the local community to learn about the National Plan which will deliver more money and resources to every school in the country, building on the significant investment already made by Federal Labor in the area.

“In my electorate, the Gillard Government has invested over $110 million for 118 projects under the Building the Education Revolution including 20 new classrooms, 28 libraries and 15 multipurpose halls,” Ms Smyth said.

“Six schools have received extra funding from our Smarter Schools National Partnerships, three schools are benefiting from three new Trade Training Centres and more than 7000 new computers have been installed in local high schools, including 777 here at Berwick Secondary College.”

Mr Garrett also announced today that the Gillard Government will invest an extra $41.1 million in a new National Partnership agreement to help boost literacy and numeracy results in Victorian schools.

“This will build on successful strategies under the previous National Partnership, which ran from 2008 to 2012,” he said.

“Our education approach is in stark contrast to the Baillieu Government, which has slashed $550 million from schools in two years.

“The Victorian Government’s decision to release their own funding plan is the worst possible result for Victorian families. It would deliver far less funding to schools over time than the National Plan and has no details about how many schools and students would get extra support.

“Only Labor can be trusted to deliver the best possible outcomes for Australian students and families.”