The state government is helping ease cost-of-living pressures for families by providing free prescription glasses to students in need through the Glasses for Kids program, supporting children’s learning and wellbeing at school.
Deputy Premier and education minister Ben Carroll visited Victorian College of the Deaf on Friday, 29 August to announce that 10,000 pairs of free glasses have now been given out to students across the education state.
“Vision shouldn’t be a barrier to learning. Too many kids fall behind in school because of undiagnosed and treatable vision problems and 10,000 students now have the glasses they need to stay focussed and succeed,” Mr Carroll said.
“From free glasses to free dental checkups and free breakfasts, we’re providing real cost of living relief to families with students in the Education State.”
The program provides free vision screening and, if needed, further testing and free glasses to participating Prep to Year 3 students.
Families can save up to $600 depending on the type of vision issue.
By supporting students with undiagnosed vision impairments, Glasses for Kids is helping students achieve their best at school and beyond.
It has transformed learning for students like Toby, a Year 7 student at the Victorian College of the Deaf, who couldn’t access an optometry clinic without an Auslan interpreter.
This program brought the eye test to his school, revealing short-sightedness, dramatically improving his ability to see and communicate.
The Federal Government tripled the program with a $6.8 million expansion in the Victorian Budget 2024/25.
The program is now available to 770 eligible schools and 74,000 more Prep to Year 3 students through to 2027.
During the 2024 school year alone, 110 schools were visited across Victoria with more than 6700 students receiving a vision screening and over 1800 free glasses dispensed.
The Glasses for Kids program is run by State Schools’ Relief and supports students from Victorian Government schools in disadvantaged areas.
It is just one of many ways the Government is helping hard working families with the cost of living.
This real cost of living relief is on top of the ongoing support delivered by the Federal Government – including free school breakfasts, free dental checkups with Smile Squad, more affordable uniforms, free swimming lessons, free pads and tampons in government schools, and more.
