BHP deal sparks teacher alert

A teachers' union has warned against the growing corporatisation of education amid revelations BHP Billiton has a $6.8 million sponsorship deal stipulating the Education Department must promote it as "committed to public education in the Pilbara".

The 2½-year contract with the mining giant, expiring in August, surfaced last week after answers to Opposition questions in Parliament which also revealed four other corporate sponsorships totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars.

BHP has a separate $111,000 contract to sponsor the WA Principal of the Year awards, and computer company IBM spent more than $100,000 rolling out an Aboriginal literacy strategy in 2008.

Under its "community sponsorship contract", BHP Billiton Iron Ore committed $2.8 million towards education and training initiatives in the Pilbara and $4 million on the Hedland Senior High School refurbishment project.

In return, the department must promote the partnership through its magazine and push BHP's graduate, cadetship, apprenticeship and scholarship programs.

Opposition education spokesman Ben Wyatt said the department should recommend such courses because they were suited to the student, not because it was commercially obliged to do so.

"While private philanthropy is always welcome, I certainly do not support the Education Department becoming a PR service for corporate Australia," he said.

State School Teachers Union president Anne Gisborne said the corporatisation of the education system was "subtly increasing" yet remained "under the radar".

"We don't want to see Government increase its dependence on this type of funding and therefore cut back on its own funding," she said.

Education Minister Liz Constable said career advice was given to students with their best interests at heart.

"Organisations that enter into sponsorship arrangements with schools should be commended for their community goodwill and providing extra opportunities for students in regional areas that otherwise would not be available," she said.

A BHP spokesman said the company's sponsorship was part of its "ongoing contribution to the sustainability of the communities in which it operates".