General News
14 August, 2024
Programs to ease cost pressures
By JACINTA ALLAN THE Victorian Labor Government is supporting local families with the cost of living. Getting a world-class public education in Victoria will always be free – but supplies and extracurricular activities can really add up. Our...
By JACINTA ALLAN
THE Victorian Labor Government is supporting local families with the cost of living.
Getting a world-class public education in Victoria will always be free – but supplies and extracurricular activities can really add up.
Our Government is building on our cost of living support for families, delivering a one off $400 School Saving Bonus that will help cover the cost of uniforms, camps, excursions and other extracurricular activities through the year.
Support will be available in time for the start of the 2025 school year for every child at a government school, as well as eligible concession card holders in non-government schools.
Last year, our Free Kinder program saved around 140,000 families up to $2,500 in fees. We’ve delivered a further $129 million to continue delivering Free Kinder for three and four year olds – helping even more kids get a great start and helping their parents with the cost of living.
Learning isn’t limited to the classroom, and our $200 Get Active Kids Vouchers support children and families from across Victoria with the costs of participating and playing local sport.
Through the program, eligible families can apply for vouchers of up to $200 per child, which can be used to pay for memberships, registration fees, uniforms and equipment across a wide range of sporting codes and recreation activities.
The program helps keep kids active – and ensures no one misses out.
Our Government is also making sure no student starts the day hungry.
Our School Brekkie Clubs provide a free, healthy and nutritious breakfast to thousands of kids across our state. Now, we’re expanding the Program to every government school for the very first time.
The expansion will see 150 extra schools invited to join at the beginning of next year – which is expected to support up to 200,000 students – before rolling out to remaining schools from June 2025.
Since 2016, the Victorian Labor Government’s School Breakfast Clubs Program has delivered more than 40 million healthy and nutritious meals, as well as practical cooking classes for families at 100 schools.
Going to school hungry has a big impact on children’s learning, affecting behaviour and the ability to concentrate – which is why we’re making sure more students are fuelled with healthy, nutritious meals.
Importantly, it’s also supporting more families struggling with the cost of living.
Across our state, students are benefiting from our free Glasses for Kids program. It’s why we’re making sure even more young Victorians can see clearly in the classroom – tripling the size of the program to reach even more Prep to Grade 3 students at government schools around Victoria. Providing free vision screenings and glasses for students who need them, the program helps identify vision issues early and stops them holding young learners back.
Our Smile Squad program gives students free oral care check-ups and treatment. With all government primary, secondary and specialist schools invited to participate in the program – it means students are receiving critical early oral care. Just like the Glasses for Kids Program, this support is provided at school, meaning busy families no longer need to juggle appointment times or incur additional out of pocket costs.
* Jacinta Allan is the member for Bendigo East and Premier of Victoria