"News that the Australian Government is establishing a Commonwealth Regional Scholarship Program to enable students from low- to middle-income families to attend boarding schools is very welcome," said Dr Chris Duncan, CEO of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA).
"Sometimes boarding is the best option for young Australians in regional, rural and remote areas to develop their talents and pursue their dreams," said Dr Duncan.
"A federally funded scholarship program for secondary schooling will help avoid those situations where some families face a choice between their established place of work and their children's educational needs," said Dr Duncan. "It sustains the life of rural and remote communities and broadens the educational pathways available to the young people raised in those communities."
Dr Duncan said families already had access to some financial support via the Australian Government's Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme.
"The Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme is highly valued by families whose children are educated outside their community," said Dr Duncan. "That scheme is in the form of annual allowances. The Commonwealth Regional Scholarship Program will cover the six years of secondary schooling, which gives assurance to parents that their children can complete their secondary education, and will help students engage fully with the boarding experience."
