Regional students and families have been caught in the middle of a political debate over the need for boarding school allowance increases.
Families with boarding school students were able to receive $2100 as part of the Boarding Away from Home Allowance (BAHA) when it was at its highest in 2017.
The allowance was decreased over the years, reaching its lowest sum of $1350 in 2023.
While the state government focuses on keeping school kids within their local community, the shadow minister for education Peter Rundle MLA said the “slashed” BAHA funds embody the government’s failure to support regional families.
Mr Rundle said the reduced allowance was a “disastrous decision” from the state government and one, he said, that would be addressed by Nationals WA if they are elected to government.
A Nationals WA spokesperson said the party would increase the BAHA to $2700 per student with an additional $500 travel allowance.
Mr Rundle said the Nationals WA were motivated by the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) who had previously petitioned for greater boarding allowances, nationally.
“The ICPA has highlighted the growing cost-of-living pressures on regional families,” he said, “particularly pointing out that Labor’s attempts at easing financial strain… only benefit city-based families.”
A spokesperson for WA Minister for Education Tony Buti said the financial support the Labor government provided for eligible families left them less than $1000 out of pocket.
They said the BAHA is a supplement to the Australian Government’s Assistance for Isolated Children allowances, which in 2025, would cover up to $14,727 of the total $15,536 boarding fees at the department’s residential colleges.
“Since 2023, BAHA has increased annually from $1350 to $1424, in line with the forecast Perth Consumer Price Index and aligned to the rate used to index the annual boarding fees,” they said.
The Federal government’s Commonwealth Regional Scholarship Program offers an indication of its stance on student boarding allowances.
The pilot program that started last year saw up to 100 scholarships, capped at $20,000, distributed to boarding school students in regional and remote areas, according to the Department of Education.
Possibly indicating a different approach in 2025, the state government announced a $4.7 million funding hike, after the election, for small and remote schools with less than 100 students.
The Nationals spokesperson said more than 1300 students and families from the regions are affected.
Minister Buti said the government has plans to invest in 128 schools, including some in the Esperance-Goldfields region, and the funds would help with rising costs.
“Our aim is to give all students every opportunity to learn and thrive in their school setting, particularly in regional and remote parts of the State,” he said.
“Every school and every student in Western Australia should reach their full potential, regardless of their location or the size of the local population.”
The ICPA have recognized a gap in government support for regional families and, whether at home or away, students in remote areas would benefit from funding increases.
Presently, the BAHA allowance is $1,424 and students may also apply for travel vouchers or refunds as part of the Student Travel Subsidy Scheme.
Photo: senivpetroon Freepik
