Support flows to more disadvantaged students

More than 50,000 disadvantaged young people have received education scholarships backed by the Morrison Government.

The Government has invested $48 million in The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program over the last four years to support young people to succeed at school and reach their potential.

Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the Government had honoured another election commitment by expanding the Learning for Life program to support an additional 24,000 students.

“Our Government believes that every Australian should have access to a world-class education,” Mr Tehan said.

“The Learning for Life program provides long-term support to students through scholarships to pay for school supplies and access to educational opportunities outside of school, including mentoring, career activities and literacy and numeracy programs.

“Our support for the Learning for Life program has benefited students in about 90 disadvantaged communities, and more than half of those are in regional areas. One in five students on the program are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, above the program’s initial target of 15 per cent. In total, 56,200 young people from every state and territory are being supported to stay at school and go on to further studies or a job through The Smith Family program.

“Of those who have left the program in the past 12 months, four out of five are in work, training or further education.

“We made an election commitment to continue to expand the successful Learning for Life program, and today we honour that commitment.”

The Smith Family Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa O’Brien said it was an effective example of the Government partnering with a community organisation to achieve a fantastic outcome.

“I am very pleased we have been able to achieve this milestone, and improve the lives of so many vulnerable students and their families,” Dr O’Brien said.

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