“That ICPA (WA) lobby the Minister for Education and the State Government to reverse the decrease in the Boarding Away from Home Allowance (BAHA) and increase it in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) annually to support families impacted by increases in boarding fees, charged by all boarding facilities.”
The State Government is decreasing the Royalties for Regions component of the Boarding Away from Home Allowance (BAHA) by 37% over five (5) years. This allowance has already decreased from $2,105 in 2017 and will reduce to $1,320 in 2022.
This decision is heavily impacting our isolated families due to boarding schools, both Government and Independent increasing their fees annually. The gap between what parents pay and the allowances received from both the Federal and State Governments is widening. We therefore request that ICPA (WA) lobby the State Government to reverse this decrease and to help minimize the financial pressure put on parents from rural and remote areas who have no other option than to send their children away to school.
