Parents Voice in Government School Education

School costs: PV media comment

The Herald-Sun reported today on the true cost of sending your child to school in Victoria. The article mostly focuses on private schools, but also includes some information on public schools for comparison. Our CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in this section of the article.

State schools, which rely primarily on taxpayer funds, charge much more modest fees that are voluntary.
Cheltenham Secondary College has unveiled its 2025 fees, and will charge parents $210 in voluntary curriculum contributions and $250 for voluntary non-curriculum items. With contributions of $100 for the building fund, the total bill for year 12 students comes to $590. The school has kept its fees at the 2023 and 2024 levels for 2025.
Gail McHardy, CEO of Parents Victoria said Victorian government schools “would not have to seek any form of state school fee or parent contribution for their child’s education if public schools were fully funded by the Federal and state government to 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard (SRS)”.
A Victorian government spokeswoman said public schools “are free and they’ll stay that way – and no child can be disadvantaged or refused instruction regardless of payment”.

Read the full article (subscription only)

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