The Government has backed away from proposed homeschooling regulation changes following strong feedback from the sector, with Education Minister Erica Stanford confirming the measures will be removed from legislation currently before Parliament.
Stanford said the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office had recommended tighter oversight in late 2025 and early 2026 to ensure homeschooled children were receiving an adequate standard of education, prompting the Government to move quickly on new compliance measures. However, after criticism and concerns raised by stakeholders, MPs, coalition partners and education groups, the Government decided the issue required more consideration.
Stanford said most homeschooling parents were committed to delivering quality education, but maintained it was reasonable for the state to have safeguards in place to ensure children were being “properly taught”. The Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, which was scheduled for its third reading today, will now be sent back to the Committee of the Whole House so amendments relating to homeschooling can be removed, with the Government signalling it may revisit the issue in future legislation.
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Scuttled off tail between legs because its election year and the usual tyrannical, interfering bullying, might not got down too well, eh?
Let’s face it, government schools have not been what they are supposed to be for some many years now.
Parents would do well by their little men and women to teach them reading, writing and arithmetic. The very subjects they will never be taught in todays schools.