Education Minister Sue Ellery has announced from 2020 non-government schools will no longer pay more for their students to board at residential student colleges in regional Western Australia.
Previously, for students attending regional non-government schools to have access to residential colleges, Education Ministers entered into a number of financial agreements that required non-government schools to purchase beds at the colleges and/or pay annual maintenance levies. These costs were usually passed on to parents.
Earlier this year, the Minister asked the Department of Education to conduct a review of the financial arrangements by which students attending non-government schools access the Department's regional student residential colleges.
The review found regional parents value the opportunity to place their children in regional boarding facilities and the additional costs to non-government school students to board is influential in parents deciding to send their children to Perth.
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"Parents in regional locations value highly the opportunity to place their children in regional boarding facilities, rather than having to send them to Perth. Sending children to Perth results in a loss of income to the regions and exacerbates family separation.
"The regional student residential colleges provide a safe and caring environment for all students, and these changes will have a positive effect on education in the regions."
As stated by Agricultural Region MLC Darren West:
"This is a great outcome for families living in regional Western Australia.
"These changes will mean a reduced cost for families, students being closer to home and families being able to have more frequent contact with their children."
As stated by Agricultural Region MLC Laurie Graham:
"These changes will create a more equitable system for all students, regardless of what school they attend.
"This decision will allow regional families who chose a non-government education for their children to consider a regional school and keep regional families together."
