Public school infrastructure will get a funding boost from the state government.

The funds will come from abolishing the Public Education Endowment Trust established in 1909, with a bill currently before WA Parliament.

“The Public Education Endowment Trust was established over a century ago with a clear purpose: to support our public schools. Today we’re honouring that legacy by ensuring almost $40 million flows directly to real, tangible improvements for public schools right across Western Australia,” says Minister for Education Sabine Winton.

The financial value of its assets, totalling $40 million, will be directed towards the maintenance of public schools in the state.

The land the Trust holds in Fremantle will be transferred to the state government, which has now earmarked it for housing.

When the abolition bill was first debated in Parliament in 2025, the Coalition opposition brought amendments to preserve the assets within the trust so they could be directed to public school infrastructure funding.

Shadow Minister for Education Liam Staltari, while optimistic over the state government’s decision, acknowledges more work is needed for public schools.

“Our public schools certainly would need significantly more [funding],” he says.

“There is a serious need for maintenance and neglected facilities.”

Curtin University’s School of Education associate professor, Madeleine Dobson, also calls for a bipartisan approach to address long-term problems.

“We would want to see that that is something that continues well into the future, and that we have advanced planning and continued resourcing to our public school system,” she says.

According to the Australian Education Union this year, there is a major gap between public and private schools in the state, with investment into private schools reaching $3.2 billion more than public schools over the past decade.

The report reveals the most advantaged private school student receives three times as much investment as the most disadvantaged public school student in WA, with the monetary gap exceeding $2000.

In the Union’s 2025 survey, State of Our Schools, 561 WA respondents, comprising principals, teachers, and support staff, expressed their concerns about public schools in the state.

Mr Staltari says the opposition will monitor the state government to ensure it fulfils its pledge to spend the money.

“We want to make sure they’re used effectively,” he says.

“We will continue to push for more maintenance in schools and make sure maintenance is done in an efficient way.”

Dr Dobson has also suggested alternative solutions the state government should implement to support public schools beyond funding.

“One is through investment in our environment in WA. We know that’s something children and young people care about and want to see a response to,” she says.

“There is also thinking about where children have to engage in the community, where they can engage and play safely.”