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Stop Fees in DEC Preschools

The NSW State Government has proposed compulsory fees for public preschools operated by the Department of Education and Community Services (DEC).

Currently fee-free, these 100 DEC preschools were established to improve the educational opportunities for students in low socio economic areas, including isolated and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

To voice your opposition to this proposal, please fill out the form below.

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Your message will be sent to NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell, NSW Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli and your local State MP.

Message:

CC: Adrian Piccoli, NSW Minister for Education

Dear Premier,

I wish to express my opposition to the imposition of fees for children attending the 100 Department and Community Services (DEC) preschools that form part of local primary and infants schools.

Public education must be free and accessible to all.  The 100 DEC preschools were established to improve the educational opportunities for students in low socio economic areas including communities which may be isolated and/or serve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.  These schools are located in areas such as  Boggabilla, Claymore, Doonside and Walgett.  The overwhelming majority of these preschools are attached to public schools which receive substantial additional state and federal funding aimed at providing more support to overcome educational disadvantage in these communities.

The Department has issued a schedule of fees to groups of schools based on their ICSEA rating.  Students will be charged fees ranging from $40 to $1.00 per day depending on socio-economic status and/or Aboriginality while some students may be exempted from fees.  This will impose a huge additional administrative workload on schools.  It will also leave principals open to complaints about the level of fees charged and/or exemptions provided.

It will create a situation where parents with one student in preschool could be charged $40 per day while the child’s siblings enrolled in the primary section of the school will have no compulsory fees.

Minister Piccoli’s own media release stated: “we lag behind other States and Territories in both participation rates and affordability”.  Imposing fees will exacerbate this situation.

In Western Australia and the ACT more than 90% of students attend free public preschools.  The NSW Government would increase participation of students and improve their learning outcomes if they adopted the same approach.

I urge you to stop the introduction of compulsory fees in DEC preschools.

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