State to rescue of school chaplains
Pressure from school principals and backbenchers upset that needy public schools would miss out on school chaplains next year because of a Federal funding cut has forced the State Government to stump up $1.4 million to plug the gap.
More than 100 public schools found out two weeks ago they would lose their chaplains because money for WA under the Federal Government's new chaplaincy program was $1.45 million a year less.
WA Education Minister Peter Collier said yesterday the top-up meant another 71 public schools could now employ a chaplain, taking the overall number of public schools to 319.
"We have listened to the concerns of those school communities," he said.
Mr Collier said he was disappointed by the cut to chaplaincy funding and would lobby for its return next year.
While acknowledging the State Government could have stepped in earlier, Mr Collier said it faced the same budgetary constraints as the Federal Government.
The funds were drawn from money the Education Department set aside for special needs.
Mr Collier said the backlash from schools and backbenchers played only a small part in his decision.
"The lobbying was a consideration but this is personal for me," he said. "I personally value the role of chaplains and I was desperate to find a solution to this."
He said he felt "despairing" after visiting West Morley Primary School, which had lost its chaplain, and was pleased to see it included in the 71 successful schools.
Paul Biemmi, principal of Eddystone Primary School in Heathridge, where one-third of the students are from migrant and refugee backgrounds, said he was thrilled to find out yesterday its funding had been reinstated.
School chaplain Sylvia Spatara previously visited one day a fortnight but the new funding meant she could offer students more help.
