Thursday, 19 February 2026

 Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) presented a petition bearing 232 signatures:

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that Montessori education is a respected, evidence-based teaching method used worldwide to support children’s development through hands-on learning, independence, and a child-led environment. The Department of Education has chosen to remove the Mitcham Montessori stream from the public system, without community consultation or clear justification despite Montessori being offered successfully in some public schools for decades. The Department’s official position is that the decision to offer an alternative curriculum program in a government school is devolved to the respective school leader. Yet, we understand that surrounding school principals have been advised not to take on the program. Families relying on this program are left with one alternative - private schooling. This creates an equity issue, limiting access to high-quality education based not on the child’s needs, but on the family’s income.

Public school should be places where different educational approaches can thrive to meet diverse learning needs. Instead, we see the erosion of parent choice and the marginalisation of alternative methods like Montessori. We believe this is not in the best interest of the future of public education. Public education should support a range of approaches that meet the needs of all children, not just those who can afford it.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to protect Montessori education in public schools ensuring families continue to have access to diverse, evidence-based teaching approaches; recognise Montessori, Steiner and Reggio Emilia as legitimate, valuable public education options; require the Department of Education to work with schools, experts, and families to maintain and support such programs; pause further closures of public alternative education streams until a transparent, community review is in place; and ensure funding and compliance frameworks support alternative pedagogies.