Ros SPENCE (Yuroke) My constituency question is to the Minister for Education. What is the latest information on how students in the Yuroke electorate are being supported by the Andrews Labor government’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund? This fund ensures that every student, regardless of their background, gets the chance to go on camps and excursions with their friends and learn more about the world. This investment stands in stark contrast to the record of the previous Liberal government, which axed the education maintenance allowance that 3845 students in the Yuroke electorate relied on to help with basic schooling costs. I thank the minister for his outstanding work in ensuring that access to education is equitable, and I look forward to his response.

Response:

The Andrews Labor Government is committed to addressing disadvantage and ensuring that that every Victorian child has access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom.

Since 2015, we have funded various initiatives that ensure the most disadvantaged Victorian students have every chance to succeed, including the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF).

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund ensures that disadvantaged students do not miss out on important extra-curricular activities such as camps, excursions, outdoor education and sporting programs, to increase overall student engagement and participation.

In 2018, 5,062 students at government and non-government schools located in the Yuroke electorate received assistance through the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund valued at $786,150. Over the life of the program, since 2015, more than 17,400 payments totalling $2.7 million have been made to students across your electorate as part of the initiative.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

The Hon James Merlino MP                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Deputy Premier                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Minister for Education                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Minister for Emergency Services