Public schools get chaplain boost
Public schools that missed out on chaplain funding in the first term will be able to employ one for the rest of the year after the State Government said yesterday they would get $2.7 million.
The pre-Budget announcement means another 179 public schools will be funded to have a chaplain, taking the number of public schools to 500.
It is in addition to a $1.45 million top-up announced in December, which went to 71 public schools that missed out on funding under the Federal Government's reduced chaplaincy program.
The State Government has also committed $5.05 million to continue the program next year, bringing the contribution to chaplaincy services in WA next year to $10.73 million.
Education Minister Peter Collier said the new funding would mean every school that applied to have an in-school chaplain would get one.
"In an increasingly complex society, student services are absolutely vital to deal with the litany of issues students bring with them to schools," Mr Collier said.
