Thursday, 28 March 2019

More than one million payments have been made to families from the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund making sure disadvantaged students don’t miss out on vital activities with their peers.

Member for Broadmeadows, Frank McGuire, today announced that 8,289 payments have been made to students across the Broadmeadows region from the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund since 2015.

Since 2015, a total of 1,018,213 payments have been made across the state to families experiencing disadvantage, ensuring students can attend extra-curricular activities such as school trips, swimming and sports programs, outdoor education programs, excursions and incursions.

“For students across Broadmeadows, these payments will mean that no student misses out on joining their classmates in important and fun educational activities”, Mr McGuire said.

Over the past five years, the Andrews Government has invested more than $184 million in this program, helping to ensure that every Victorian child has access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom.

In 2018, a record 222,000 students – or more than one in four government school students – received the CSEF, ensuring that no child missed out on joining their classmates in important and fun educational activities.

Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents, with a child enrolled in a Victorian government or non-government school, are eligible to apply.

The fund was introduced in 2015 to replace the Education Maintenance Allowance which was cut by the former Liberal Government.

“Since 2015, we’ve distributed more than 44,215 payments to families and schools around Broadmeadows to ensure that every Victorian child – regardless of where they live or their family’s situation – can participate in fun, educational activities that enrich their learning and school experience”, Mr McGuire said.

Payments of $125 per year for eligible primary school students and $225 per year for eligible secondary school students are made directly to the school and are tied to the student.

Through its Education State reforms, the Victorian Government is committed to addressing disadvantage and is funding initiatives to ensure the most disadvantaged Victorian students have every chance to succeed at school.

These initiatives include school breakfast clubs, providing access to glasses to students who need them, State Schools Relief, alongside the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.

GeneralMedia Release