45172 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister of Education

45172 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister of Education: In response to Reply 30832 (2025), if the purpose of a Home Education Declaration is to provide the "Ministry with assurance that the child is being schooled at least as regularly and as well as at a registered school", how, if at all, can the Ministry be sure that those families not returning a statutory declaration are meeting the requirements of their Certificate of Exemption?

Hon Erica Stanford: I am advised by the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) that the allowance declaration is unrelated to the requirements of the Certificate of Exemption. The purpose of the allowance declaration is for the parent or legal guardian to confirm for the Ministry that they are still home educating and want to receive the allowance. The declaration does not ask them to declare whether they are meeting the exemption standard. Ministry staff decide whether a parent or legal guardian meets or continues to meet the exemption standard when an application for home education is assessed and if a home education review takes place.