The money promised to provide ‘wider access’ to private schooling is ridiculous!  For a start, the means tested eligibility means the applicants must be earning less than $65k gross per annum AND have a net worth of less than $150k!  So conceivably, someone who is doing well enough (thank you) can apply for this grant to pay for private schooling for their kids!  What is more, the selection process is by ballot – a clear indication that selection is not based on highest need (which, is obviously not the intent).  Therefore I have to draw the conclusion that this scheme is not targeted at the ‘lower income bracket’ at all… my thoughts here are; if you want to send your kids to private school, YOU pay for it.

The money being poured into private education is crazy.  This money should be used to support the public sector, in particular focusing on areas of highest need  and for me, this means supporting learning lower decile schools… these are where the ‘truly’ low income families have to send their kids.  How often do the ‘truly ‘ poor get access to private health care?  (I don’t actually know but suggest that it would not be much, if anything).

The direct correlation between poverty and educational underachievement cannot be ignored, and certainly cannot be resolved by pumping another $2.6m into private schooling (not withstanding the other $50m going into private schooling over the next 3 years).

Time to acknowledge the wonderful work being done by many of our lower decile schools and to work with them to provide the resourcing to help them (and therefore all schools) lift under-achievement among our poorest.