The Liberals & Nationals continue to invest unprecedented funds into the education system in NSW, with a record $21 billion allocated to schools, early childhood, TAFE and VET in today’s Budget.  

 Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said that over the next four years, the NSW Government will: 

• Allocate $6.7 billion to deliver 190 new and upgraded schools;
• Recruit 4600 more teachers;
• Allocate $120 million to expand before and after school care;  
• Dedicate $88.4 million towards employing 100 additional school counsellors or psychologists and an additonal 350 student support officers. 

 This investment will not only provide the best quality schools for NSW children but deliver the highest number of teachers in government schools in the State’s history. 

 “An investment in the next generation is the best one any Government can ever make,” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.  

 “We are lucky to live in such a wonderful country and in NSW we want to ensure our children get the best education they can and that we provide options and incentives for them.” 

 Ms Mitchell said that this Budget recognised the complexity of our education system. 

 “Not only is this budget focussed on continuing to deliver our record school infrastructure program – it also recognises the importance of supporting a students’ mental health, as well as the critical role that teachers play in the education of our children.”  

 In another historic first, the Government will be investing $449 million to clear maintenance backlog in all public schools by July 2020, bringing the total investment to $1.3 billion over 5 years. 

 Other investments in the Education cluster in the 2019-20 Budget include: 

•  $2.4 billion in the 2019-20 Budget towards vocational education and training.
• $500 million over four years to support non-government schools in building facilities to provide more student places in growing communities;
• $20 million over four years for new and existing preschools to build or renovate facilities; and
• $10 million over four years for the Sustainable Schools Program to help schools take effective steps to improve their environmental footprint.