Senator WRIGHT: I am interested to know a bit more about what process of review may have occurred or did occur before the decision was made to cut funding to trade training centres. Are you aware of any review process? You have said it was done in the context of MYEFO. We know it was actually an election promise. Are you aware of any review that was done by the decision makers?

Ms Paul : My evidence was comprehensive that it was a clear election commitment and then that was followed up through the normal budget process which led into MYEFO.

Boosting teacher salaries and improving professional support must be the focus of the Abbott Government's review of teacher training, says Australian Greens spokesperson for Schools, Senator Penny Wright.

Senator Wright said she was concerned the review panel was instead a way to point the figure at teachers and shift the focus from the Government's poor policies.

"First Christopher Pyne blamed the curriculum for sliding education standards. Now he's blaming the teachers," Senator Wright said.

The Senate has today called on the Abbott Government to replace the curriculum review panel of Ken Wiltshire and Kevin Donnelly with independent experts.

Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright introduced the motion, which was supported by Labor, in the wake of widespread concern about the objectivity of the panel appointed by Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I will move that the Senate

1.       notes

a.       the Australian Curriculum was developed over six years, involving input from thousands of educators, parents and academics, and was negotiated with and agreed to by state and territory governments;

b.      the Australian Curriculum is still in the process of being implemented by state and territory governments;

The Abbott Government's independent public schools plan announced today will do nothing to improve student outcomes, warns Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright.

"Christopher Pyne is proselytising a proven policy failure to distract from the mess he's made over the Gonski model," Senator Wright said.

Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright has condemned Education Minister Christopher Pyne for funnelling extra millions to private schools while state schools struggle.

Responding to the release of the AEU's McMorrow Report showing a $90 million drop in the projected funding for public schools, Senator Wright said the Abbott Government was betraying Australia's 2 million public school students.

The Queensland government has abandoned the Gonski reforms in its new school funding plan, says Australian Greens spokesperson for Schools Senator Penny Wright.

“Making students meet certain literacy and numeracy standards before providing extra funding is going completely against what the Gonski reforms are all about,” Senator Wright said.

“Gonski is about directing funding to where it will help – not withholding funding from schools who are struggling.

The Abbott Government has created fresh uncertainty about extra funding for students with a disability, says Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright.

Senator Wright said she would pursue the truth of the Abbott Government's plans when Parliament resumed in February, following reports of a $2 billion hole under the disability funding model as part of the Gonski plan.

Did you hear the one about the "leftist" agenda hidden in our curriculum? No? Huh - I must have missed it too.

But education minister Christopher Pyne launched a two-man crusade to pick over the National Curriculum last week, to weed out so-called partisan bias.

Acting Leader for the Australian Greens, Dr Richard Di Natale said today that the Abbott Government’s attack on the national curriculum is motivated by ideology and paranoia.

“Another day, another ideological attack on Australia’s education system by the Abbott Government,” said Senator Di Natale.

“This is yet another example of the silver-spoon mentality of the Liberal party, ignoring the real needs of families in favour of their conservative ideological agenda.