NSW Premier Kristina Keneally said on Tuesday that funding for the Schools would be doubled, spending $8.1m over four years to increase the funding from $60 to $120 per student, per year.
“This is about ensuring the children of migrants get to retain and love the language of their
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parents,” Ms Keneally said in a statement.
In a show of bipartisanship, NSW Shadow Education Minister Adrian Piccoli told SBS the Coalition thought it was great news.
"We think it's terrific and well overdue", he said.
There had not been an increase for some time, Piccoli said, adding that his party had also been in talks with stakeholders on the issue of increasing funding.
Keneally's office said the funding increase included $500,000 for textbooks and resources, $30,000 more for 300 volunteer teachers to be trained at university, and an increase in Community Language School start-up grants from $1000 to $2500.
Chair of the Community Languages Schools Board, Jozefa Sobski, told the government she welcomed the idea.
“NSW will now lead Australia in assisting language learning and maintenance, and this is good for our culture and good for our global future,” Ms Sobski said.
