Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan announced on Thursday that the federal government would change the way parents’ wealth is assessed. 

The new assessments would affect per-student funding rates for Catholic and independent schools, costing about $3.5b over the next 10 years.

There will also be an extra $1.2b in discretionary funding for private schools.

Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga finance and resources manager Andrew McIntosh said he welcomed the funding deal.

“We believe that the increase in funding will mean that families will continue to have affordable non-government options for their children, not only in our diocese but across Australia,” he said.

“It gives us certainty, particularly in our diocese where we keep our fees as low as possible.

“It puts us on a firmer foundation for the coming decade.”

The diocese covers 26 primary schools and five secondary colleges across the Riverina.

Wagga Christian College principal principal Hugh MacCallum also welcomed the funding announcement.

However, he believed the Commonwealth was still short of providing equal money for students across the Catholic, non-government and public sectors.

“I think we will be marginally better off; I don’t like that schools of our sort have very much the same type of families that go to Catholic schools and we were disadvantaged when this system was originally set up,” he said.

“I am still concerned that we are around about $2000 less per student than a Catholic school that has the same wealth level as our parents.

“I think that needs to change...everyone needs to take a deep breath and look at equality across the system, whether it’s at Mount Austin, Kooringal High, us or Mater Dei, and what’s fair for kids in that area.” 

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes has opposed the funding offer, saying he would not sign any deal that didn't treat every student and every school with fairness.

"We are the Gonski State. Quite simply, I won't be signing any deal that doesn't treat every student and every school with fairness,” he said.

"The Gonski principles provide that school funding should be needs based and sector blind and these are the principles we hold dear.”

Independent state Wagga MP Joe McGirr said children should get the same support regardless of which type of school they attended.

“The education system has to ensure that all the children are able to reach their full potential, and that should be available to all children, no matter their background,” he said.

“The measure of what is being done has to be measured against that and it’s critical that children aren’t disadvantaged.”

Dr McgGirr said he needed further details on the federal government’s funding deal.

“The federal government did make an announcement for rural and regional schools and I am interested to know the detail of that,” he said.

Dr McGirr said parents in Wagga wanted options when it came to their children’s schooling and the government should acknowledge that but maintain equal support.

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