Methodist Ladies’ College students denied permission to study at regional campus
Parents from prestigious Melbourne girls’ school Methodist Ladies’ College parents say the mental health of their year nine girls is suffering after the school was again denied special permission to study at their regional campus.
Education
Don't miss out on the headlines from Education. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Parents from a prestigious Melbourne girls’ school are seeking special permission for their daughters to study at their regional campus in rural Victoria this term.
Methodist Ladies’ College parents say the mental health of their year nine girls is suffering
after the school was not allowed to send students to its Marshmead campus in Gippsland.
Department of Health guidelines do not allow metropolitan students to attend regional camps or campuses, particularly in rural areas.
On Sunday, frustrated parents started a letter-writing campaign to Labor MP John Kennedy,
telling him their girls “will be the only students in the state not returned to face-to-face
teaching” if they are not given permission to travel by 26 October.
The letter says the girls need to be in Gippsland with their teachers so they can “complete the Year 9 curriculum with optimal learning outcomes and to improve their declining mental health”.
“As a parent I have serious concerns for the education, mental health and wellbeing of my
daughter and her fellow students whose educational experience has continued to be
severely impacted,” the letter says.
Parents believed their girls would receive an exemption allowing them to spend four weeks at the 114- hectare campus. But the school has been unable to obtain a permit for the fourth week in a row, even though students would be tested for COVID-19.
The department said no exemptions will be granted to allow metropolitan private schools to use their regional campuses.
The MLC parents argued that other metro and regional students are mixing at schools, particularly in boarding houses.
Cindy McLeish, opposition education spokeswoman, said the “risks would be exceptionally
low and we need to start returning to normal if nothing for emotional wellbeing”.
The Marshmead term, which costs parents an additional $4,750 on top of annual school
fees of $31,000, has been part of the MLC Year 9 curriculum for nearly thirty years.
Cecilia Ip, MLC acting marketing and communications manager, said the school will not be sending students to Marshmead “until we have clear permission from DHHS / DET to do so”.
The parents argue that MLC has a COVID-safe plan for Marshmead, along with safety plans
and risk management strategies.
MUCK-UP DAY ALERT AT FIRBANK GRAMMAR