With the children now back at school after the Christmas break, thousands of families are feeling the pressure of the previous state government’s decision to abolish the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
Under the EMA, more than 200,000 parents received between $150 to $300 to pay for everything from uniforms, to books and excursions.
Instead, the education department now gives funding directly to the state’s “most disadvantaged” schools and provides principals with the power to determine how it will be spent.
But children not attending those schools will have to fend for themselves.
Melton mother Kylie Hyde has already felt the pressure of the EMA’s disappearance and is unsure about what she can continue to afford.
“Scrapping of the EMA has really hurt. I now have everything to pay off,” said Ms Hyde, whose eldest daughter started Year 7 last week.
“I’d usually pay $20 a fortnight for school expenses but now it’s gone up to $50 and I can’t afford it.
“We’ll have to go without other stuff.”
The mother of three said she couldn’t buy her two school-aged children new uniforms or books and was wondering how she would pay for camps, excursions and stationery.
Melton Secondary College principal David Reynolds said many parents were still confused about the fate of the EMA.
“A number of parents come in (on the first day of school) about claiming their EMA,” Mr Reynolds said.
“The scrapping of the EMA will make some difference; some families are doing it tough and additional support is certainly very useful.”
Victorian Principals Association president Gabrielle Leigh said many students would no longer be able to afford camps or excursions “which are an important part of the education”.
“Government primary school principals understand what additional financial pressures are being put on families but they do not have additional resources to fix the widening gap.
Shadow education minister Nick Wakeling said the Labor party criticised the previous government’s decision to axe the EMA .
“[Premier] Daniel Andrews needs to explain why Victorian families won’t receive an EMA payment under a Labor government,” he said.
Education minister James Merlino said the state government would set up a ‘‘camps, sports and excursions fund’’ and give uniforms and prescription glasses to children who needed them but couldn’t afford them.
Eligible parents can use Centrelink’s free Centrepay service to pay for bills and expenses as regular deductions from their Centrelink payments.
