Victorian Independent schools back campaign to protect parents’ right to choose

The campaign was launched today by Independent Schools Australia (ISA) to support an informed debate on education issues ahead of this year’s federal election.

It aims to ensure political candidates and the wider community are aware of the crucial role played by Independent schools, which educate more than 716,00 students across the country – more than 170,000 of them in 230 widely diverse Victorian Independent schools.

‘Critics seek to pit one school sector and its students against another,’ she said.

‘While this campaign seeks certainty of government funding for Independent schools, we believe all students in all schools, regardless of sector, deserve support,’ Ms Holthouse said.

‘Supporting our young people is not a binary choice. Every child deserves a chance, and every child deserves a choice.’

In support of the national School Choice Counts campaign, ISV will provide detailed information and campaign material to its Member Schools, inviting them to share it with tens of thousands of parents whose children are enrolled in Independent schools across the state.

This material includes advice for parents who want to contact their local member of parliament and other election candidates.

‘This is a positive campaign that seeks to protect family choice and promote co-operation between school sectors,’ Ms Holthouse said. ‘It also challenges ideological critics to abandon tiresome and inflammatory rhetoric that unfairly characterises Independent schools and the children they educate.’