Melbourne ‘most expensive’ city to send kids to school

Melbourne is the most expensive city to educate your children in Australia, according to a new study.

And those rising costs have created growing ‘inequalities’ in the system.

But that suggestion has been met with mixed reaction from 3AW listeners.

The study found it cost $77,000 to put a child through the public system in Melbourne, and more than $500,000 through a private school.

Those figures cover fees, books, uniforms and other costs.

‘Keeping those costs as low as possible is really important because if we don’t, we continue to create real inequalities in our system and in the outcomes for different kids who come from different backgrounds,’ Meredith Peace, from the Australian Education Union, told Tony Jones.

‘The sad reality is some kids miss out because families simply can’t afford some of those things they’re being asked to pay for.’

Click PLAY below to hear more on 3AW Mornings

But others disagreed.

Mark, from Caroline Springs, told Tony Jones he was a teacher and spending money on education was ‘the best investment’ a parent could make.

He said it’d be ‘pretty rare’ for the costs to be too much, instead taking aim at the lavish lifestyles parents opted to live.

‘Have a look at the cars people are driving these days, the Porches, the BMW four-wheel drives, the big houses people are spending money on,’ he said.

‘$77,000 isn’t really that much for 13 years of education.’

That sent the switchboard into meltdown…

Click PLAY below to hear Mark’s call to Tony Jones

Click PLAY below to hear 3AW listeners respond