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2002-2003
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
STATES GRANTS (PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT BILL
2003
EXPLANATORY
MEMORANDUM
(Circulated
by authority of the Minister for Education, Science and Training the
Hon Dr
Brendan Nelson MP)
STATES GRANTS (PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT BILL 2003
OUTLINE
The purpose of the Bill is to amend the States Grants (Primary and
Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000 (the Act) to implement the 2003-04
Budget initiatives for schools.
The Bill amends Schedule 5 to the Act to
include additional capital grant funding allocation figures for non-government
schools for the years 2004 to 2007, which will maintain the 2003 funding level
for non-government schools. The Act permits approval of capital grant funding
amounts for future program years beyond the four year funding period 2001-2004,
for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007, in keeping with program administrative
arrangements. Capital grants for schools are approved up to three years in
advance of the current calendar year.
The Bill amends Schedule 8,
Grants for Targeted Assistance, to provide continued funding for the purposes
of:
• Section 77 Grants for strategic assistance for government schools
etc. and non-government schools – additional funding for 2004 for the
Strategic Assistance for Improving Student Outcomes programme;
and
• Section 85 Grants for national projects to foster literacy or
numeracy – additional funding for 2003 and continued funding for 2004 for
the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and Projects programme.
The
continuation of this funding will support improved learning outcomes for
educationally disadvantaged students, particularly in the key areas of literacy
and numeracy and support strategic national literacy and numeracy research and
development.
This funding signals the Government’s commitment to
continue its efforts to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes through support
for the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, agreed by
Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers for Education to support the
achievement of the National Goal ‘that all students should have
attained the skills of numeracy and English literacy such that every student
should be numerate, able to read, write, spell and communicate at an appropriate
level’.
None. Funding is already provided in forward estimates.
In relation
to the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act
2000, the Bill provides:
• Additional funding for non-government
school capital works of $41.84 million over the program years 2004-2007;
· Additional funding under the Strategic Assistance for Improving
Student Outcomes programme of $33.79 million for 2004;
and
· Additional funding under the National Literacy and Numeracy
Strategies and Projects programme of $3.458 million for 2003 and $7.414
million for 2004 (a total of $10.872 million);
These amounts are
expressed in initial 2001 prices and are subject to supplementation as
prescribed in the Act.
STATES GRANTS (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION ASSISTANCE) AMENDMENT BILL 2003
Clause 1 - Short Title
Provides for the Act to be cited as
the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance)
Amendment Act 2003.
Provides for the Act to commence on the day on which it receives the
Royal Assent.
Clause 3 – Schedule(s)
Provides
that each Act that is specified in a Schedule is amended or repealed as set out
in the applicable items in the Schedule and that any other item in a Schedule
has effect according to its terms.
Item 1 – Schedule 5 (table items dealing with 2004, 2005, 2006
and 2007)
Amends column 2 of the table in Schedule 5 setting out
capital grants funding amount for non-government schools by increasing the
funding limit available for 2004 and inserting the funding limits available for
2005, 2006 and 2007.
Amends column 4 of the table in Schedule 8 setting out funding amounts
for grants to foster literacy and numeracy by increasing the funding limit
available for 2003.
Amends column 2 of the table in Schedule 8 setting out grant funding
amounts for strategic assistance by increasing the funding limit available for
2004.
Amends column 4 of the table in Schedule 8 setting out funding amounts
for grants to foster literacy and numeracy by inserting the funding limit
available for 2004.