The Victorian government’s funding is critical to helping disadvantaged students catch up. But the government needs to take several extra steps to ensure their funding has its desired effect.
The government should have a plan for how to help disadvantaged students catch up from learning lost during the pandemic, and how to better support students with mental health issues.
A Grattan Institute report shows the achievement gap between disadvantaged and advantaged students widens at triple the rate in remote schooling compared to regular class.
As many as one in five children in Australia start the school day without eating breakfast. About 15% arrive at school without lunch, or the money to buy it at the canteen.
The government can invest in a number of catch-up programs, including summer school and small group tuition, to help children who fall behind due to COVID-19.
Schools in poorer areas can make a significant impact on their students’ lives. This can matter more, relative speaking, than higher test scores in wealthier suburbs.
Fragmentation, inconsistency and a lack of accountability between alternative education providers means not all young people get access to a good education.