Multiple schools to be eligible for tuition program

Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Sarah Mitchell says all public schools will be eligible for the tuition program amid an extension for it to last all of next year – in 2022.

“So much evidence and research shows that small group tuition, particularly in literacy and numeracy, makes a really big difference helping children catch up who might have fallen a bit behind during that learning from home period,” Ms Mitchell said.

“So, all of our public schools will be eligible to have this tuition program running and a number of our Catholic and Independent schools, particularly in areas where there's greater disadvantage, will also be eligible for the funding.

“We'll have a real focus on southwestern and Western Sydney as well. Of course, given that those school communities particularly have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic; we want to make sure that we help those students to catch up in those key areas of literacy and numeracy.

“It's great, because as the Premier said, it also means we've got about 7,500 extra staff on our school sites. So casual teachers are getting that work, retired teachers, final year university students and also some of our student learning and support officers as well.”